Earthbound Savings: 22 Green Ways to be Frugal

Attention Earthlings: It's time once again for that annual celebration of all things green. Earth Day is nearly upon us and, while many people offer advice on being kind to Mother Earth, too many of these tips don't quite coincide with frugal lifestyles. In an effort to dovetail these two purposes, we offer 22 budget-friendly ways to go green in honor of April 22.

1. Sign up for the "no solicitation" registry.
That way, you can avoid getting credit card offers and other ads which will reduce paper clutter and save trees.
2. Shop online to reduce your carbon footprint and save money.
According to a study by Carnegie Melon's Green Institute, shopping online reduced carbon emissions by 35 percent. The abundance of online coupons from such sites as FreeShipping.org makes this green practice a no-brainer.
3. Get out of the gym and exercise outdoors.
Freeze your gym membership and save up to 75 percent (or more) per month during the summer. You'll also rely less on those energy-sucking cardio machines.
4. Close blinds on hot days.
Before you head out for the day, close your blinds to keep the sun from warming your home while you're gone. Doing so will reduce your dependence on air conditioning and save energy.
5. Send an e-gift certificate for special occasions.
Not only are e-gift cards super convenient, you're also using less plastic resources and reducing fuel associated with shipping. If an e-card isn't available from a desired retailer, purchase gift cards at a discount from sites like Gift Card Granny. That way you recycle someone else's unwanted plastic and score great savings.
6. Eliminate paper invites and digitize your event announcement.
Save on postage and printing while reducing paper by using sites like pingg.com to create electronic announcements and invitations.
7. Use an irrigation controller to manage watering.
20 to 50 percent of your water use goes toward the landscape, even more in certain areas of the country. Invest in a controller to schedule irrigation to reduce overwatering.
8. Swap your stuff!
Use Swap.com to trade books, CDs, DVDs, sporting equipment and other goods. Not only are you saving money, but you're reducing future trash by re-using someone else's stuff.
9. Walk or bike to work to save on fuel.
With gas prices peaking at nearly $4 a gallon, you're doing your wallet and your health some good by walking or biking to work. If this isn't feasible, try public transportation.
10. Wash clothes with cold water.
Though some clothes suggest warm or hot water for washing, you can reduce your monthly heating bills and save energy by turning all cycles to cold. Don't worry, your clothes will still get clean.
11. Use mobile coupons to cut paper clutter.
Download the Coupon Sherpa mobile app to access discounts without using paper coupons. You can also save coupons to your supermarket loyalty card for paperless grocery savings.
12. Plug electronics into power strips.
Buy a surge protector for pricey electronics to save your valuables in the event of a lightning strike, and power down when not in use to cut five percent from your electricity bill.
13. Power down cable boxes.
Doing so will save you $40 per box, annually. You can also cut down on DVD waste by opting for Netflix, Hulu and Amazon streaming.
14. Go paperless.
This is a no-brainer -- when banks and service providers offer you the option to go paperless, take it. Check out Lifehacker's guide to going paperless for more ideas.
15. Hang dry your clothes.
Do laundry on the weekends and hang dry your clothes to save energy and reduce your electricity bill.
16. Shop garage and estate sales for clothes and home goods.
Recycling other people's unwanted items will not only save money but also reduces trash build-up in landfills.
17. Put the blow dryer down.
Consider going "au natural" several times during the week to save on energy spent by blow dryers, flat irons and other electronic hair products.
18. Take short showers.
The feeling of hot water on your skin is often hard to resist, but taking short, cooler showers reduces your heating bill and saves water and energy.
19. Wash dishes in a sink full of water.
Instead of washing dishes with the tap on, fill one side of the sink with soapy water to clean dishes, and only run the dishwasher when it's full to save energy.
20. Get a water filter and reusable water bottle.
Over 80 percent of plastic water bottles are tossed -- not recycled -- yielding 1.5 tons of waste per year, according to Mother Nature Network. Invest in a reusable water bottle (or two) and a filter, if your tap water is lacking.
21. Plant native shrubs and plants.
Native plants and shrubs subsist on whatever precipitation occurs in your area, making them an eco-friendly alternative to non-native plants that require additional watering and maintenance.
22. Use an eco-friendly shower head.
Basic showerheads disperse quite a bit of water per use, so investing in an eco-friendly one like the Oxygenics PowerMassage Handheld Shower Head can save up to 70 percent in water and energy consumption.


Disclosure:  This post is shared with information sent to me by Andrea Woroch.   Andrea Woroch is a nationally-recognized consumer and money-saving expert who helps consumers live on less without radically changing their lifestyles. From smart spending tips to personal finance advice, Andrea transforms everyday consumers into savvy shoppers. She has been featured among top news outlets such as Good Morning America, NBC's Today, MSNBC, New York Times, Kiplinger Personal Finance, CNNMoney and many more. You can follow her on Twitter for daily savings advice and tips.

Mrs T's Virtual Chef Video Contest!

Now through Wednesday, May 9th, Mrs. T's is calling all creative home cooks to submit a short video describing their favorite pierogy recipe and why they deserve to be the next Virtual Pierogy Chef. Once all entries have been received, five finalists will be chosen and the winner will be determined by a public vote. The winner will be awarded $5,000, a six-month supply of pierogies and enrollment in local culinary classes!

For additional details and official contest rules, visit Mrs. T's Pierogies Facebook page

Squidoo Hopping--Making My Way Updating

Good Thursday morning! It's that time of the week to share some squidoo love.

I've still been updating---a lot.  Ok, a lot for me is probably nothing to others, but I am slowly working through my messy record book.  As I update a lens it's going into my new notebook where I am keeping the lenses in alphabetical order.

I have the front page in my notebook a list of ways to update lenses.  This list keeps growing.  I started the list by using Virginia Allains lens: Easy Updates for Squidoo Lenses

Here is my list so far.  If you have any other things for me to add to the list, please comment and let me know!

1.  Add a charity to give 10% to
2.  change theme background
3.  Intro--change the title, make sure photo has a file name, first sentence contains key words, make sure the intro is long enough.
4.  Make sure 6 of my own lenses are in the discovery section.
5.  Make sure the table of contents is turned on, or use the table of contents module.
6.  Use lots of photos, graphics, zazzle products related to the lens.
7.  Sign back up for allposters and get some related posters thrown in
8.  Use html for back grounds and borders in modules.
9.  amazon spotlight in the sidebar
10.  add countdowns to appropriate lenses or update the ones already there.
11.  add polls, quizes, duels and/or predictions
12.  add rss feed related to lens
13.  add flickr photos
14.  Use the big arrow module to make a link stand out
15.  feature an important sentence in a talk bubble
16.  check amazon modules to make sure products are still available
17.  check that videos are still available
18.  make intro photo minimum 250x250
19.  make sure all photos that are not my own are properly attributed
20.  place an add on such as the flag counter
21.  Put a related graphic from zazzle in the guest book module
22.  add the follow me on pinterest button
23.  change all featured lenses modules over using  squidtools instead
24.  add a sticky note
25.  check to make sure the topics are correct
26.  check tags


As you can see, I have a lot to choose from, enabling me to do little updates here and there to keep the ranking up a bit along the way.  I am finding this so much more fun than sitting for hours updating just one lens.


Now it's your turn!  Comment below if you have any other update ideas to add to my list.  Link up any blog posts you have about squidoo----or link up 1 or 2 of your lenses.  Thanks!!

WIP Wednesday--Progress Made!

I'm happy to say I did make progress on both of my quilts this past week.  Mostly due to going to sit n' sew at the local quilt shop.  It's a shame that it takes me taking my sewing machine away from home to get any sewing done.

Here is the scrappy quilt again.  I just have to finish up the binding.  And, again, I do hope to have it done for a TGIFF post. 

I am pleased with my progress on my string type quilt.  I can't believe I thought I would have it done back in February though!

And, here is my 2 week check in on my granny a day challenge blanket.  This is day 109.

I am linking up with the following blogs:
 

Proctor & Gamble Everyday Solutions Sweepstakes

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Join The Housewarming Dyson Giveaway--Free Blogger Event

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Frugal Friday Link Up--8 Uses for Tea

Happy Friday! Not really anything personally for me to report on frugality this week. I should be working on coupons but I haven't been. I need to start reading coupon savings blogs and get inspired!
It's that time of year that I can start hanging the clothes on the line but I keep forgetting :( I must start doing that to save on the electric bill.
Hubby and I must sit and make out a budget. I had to visit the food bank this week to get us through until next Friday's payday because there was nothing left after bills.....and won't be this week either. (sigh)

But...on to this week's share from the 99 Cent Solutions book. This week it's 8 uses for tea.

1. Keep the fridge fresh. Did you know that tea bags do a better job of keeping odors down better than baking soda? Put 3 or 4 tea bags around the fridge and odors will be readily absorbed. Change them out ever few weeks.

2. Use tea in your smoker. Open a few tea bags and sprinkle the tea leaves over the soaked wood chips. The tea will give your food a distinctive, unique flavor.

3. Help heal pink eye. Make a tea bag compress by wetting the tea bag, squeezing out the excess. Have the child lie still with the tea bag on the eyelid for 10 minutes. The tannin helps the swelling go right down. (One grandchild sent home from school yesterday with pink eye. I'm going to have to tell my daughter to try this.)

4. Brighten dark hair. Pour a quart of warm dark tea through your hair after a mild shampoo and make your hair feel soft again. Summer sun and chlorine makes your hair rough and dry. This will do the trick.

5. Freshen your feet. Each night soak your feet in a basin of strong tea for 20 minutes. After a week or 2 you should notice a real difference in both the sweat and odor output of your feet.

6. Clean delicate oriental rugs. Empty the contents of 6 tea bags in to a bowl and sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon of water over this. Sprinkle the barely damp tea leaves on the rug and ten brush them off vigorously with a clean broom. the tea leaves will draw out dust and dirt without leaving any stain or color on the rug.

7. Feed your roses. Rosebushes love the tannins in the tea leaves, so if you are a regular tea drinker, keep your tea leaves in a compost bowl by your kitchen sink. Dump them around the rose bushes once a week.

8. Speed up compost. If your compost pile is not composting, pour a few cups of strong brewed tea on it. The acid in the tea will jump-start the compost, encouraging the acid-loving bacteria that makes the whole thing work. (oh how I wish I had known about this last year--I would have actually had some compost for a garden this year!)

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Squidoo Hopping--Updating Away

Welcome to another week of squidoo hopping!
I have been busily updating lenses. I have---youch!---14 lenses in the red. My goal is to get those out of the red. It looks like 2 that I updated have moved out of the red, but 2 more moved into the red.

So, is it smart of me to keep working on those, or is it smarter to concentrate on those that are in tier 3 and above instead? I sure don't want those to drop down, since if I am understanding correctly, we don't make anything on lenses that are below tier 3, or over 86,000 in rank. Is this correct?

I am placing 2 of my in the red lenses (that I have done some updates on) in the linky below this week. Please bear in mind that both can still have a lot of updating done to them. I am just doing 2 or 3 updates at a time.

Some of my updates include checking the tags and the topic. I've been surprised to find out that I had only 3 or 4 tags! Not only that, but the lenses have not even been in the right topic....or they were in the right topic but didn't have any sub topics chosen. I think this goes way back to when they changed to add more sub topics and I never went through my lenses.

I do hope to see many of you link up below :)

WIP Wednesday--Scrappy Quilt is Almost Done

I have still not sat behind my sewing machine to do any work since March 19th---other than yesterday at sewing club at my church.  I spent the day working on finishing up the scrappy quilt.  I just have to finish the tying and put on the binding and it will be done!  I am in hopes of having it done by Friday for the TGIFF post but not making any promises to myself or to you all with everything else I try to cram into my days.
My daughter took this photo of me yesterday getting started on the tying.  The blue in the back is the binding I have ready to sew on.

   If you remember, I am now going to share my granny a square challenge progress every other week.  But, while at church yesterday I got to look through the yarn stash we have there.  The yarn is donated to make the prayer shawls.  The lad in charge let me pay a little bit of money to buy the yarn "scraps" out of the boxes so that I can use them in my granny square blanket.  I'm excited as there were some pretty colors to add to my blanket.  I also brought home 4 skeins to make a shawl with.  I have an idea of making one with granny squares.

In other news, if you remember last week, I shared a picture of loads of netting.  I did get it all cut into strips and worked on making scrubbies.  I ended up getting 19 made (as shown in my jar below)  I sold most of them at my daughter's yard sale, so that worked out to give me a little cash in my pocket.  I've not made anymore yet, but should since they will be having another sale. 

 That's my report for this week.  I am linking up with the following blogs: