TMR Frugal Living Tip #65

Today's thrifty living tip is use spray vinegar on unwanted weeds in your yard. Just be careful not to spray any plants or grass. This is an economical and non-toxic way to get rid of those weeds.

Frugal vs Green

Lately I'm noticing a new trend. More people are turning to books or sites about frugal living or living more simply. Many of these same people also want to help the environment. You can actually do both. For centuries people have practiced both, and it's only become more of a trend in the last few decades. I do find it funny how thrift was considered cheap, but being "green" is cool and hip. I love these new buzz words. Most of the frugal tips I practice daily, not only save me money, but they are good for the environment. I wrote an earlier article about Reduce, reuse, and recycling. All of these ideas save money and are good for the environment.

Many companies are also trying to cash in on being green and "All Natural". Clorox has come out with a whole new line of natural cleaners. I don't have a problem with companies using non-toxic ingredients. I think it's great, but you will pay a lot more for them. If you really want all natural ingredients, then just make your own cleaners or use these ingredients to clean your house. I use baking soda and vinegar on a regular basis for all my cleaning. The bottom line is research many of these new cleaners, and you might be surprised by the actual ingredients. Lessen your use of energy and resources like water will also accomplish both goals. There are tons of ways to your reduce your consumption so I'm not going to list them. Many of these ideas are very old fashioned that have been practiced for generations.

More Gardening Pictures

I was invited to join a great meme hosted by I Am Harriet. Thanks so much for the invite and what a great idea. I am really enjoying my garden and hopefully this will encourage more people to start their own.





These are some pictures of my blueberry bush. I have two different rabbiteye varieties. One is a Tifton Blue and the other is a Climax. I can't remember which is which, but I planted them at the end of January. They are both a year old and this one has produced a berry. They don't really start producing well until around the three to four year mark. I'm really excited about how well it's growing and is flowering. I plan on adding a couple more next winter. I'm hoping to find some plants a little more mature like two years old.

I was also very pleased with how much we got done this weekend. We sanded down our porch swing and was able to stain it today. I don't have any pictures, but it looks so much nicer. My husband dug me a new row so I was able to plant my cantaloupe and watermelon seeds today. My husband's grandfather gave us some red potatoes on Friday that were freshly dug. My neighbor was generous with her Romaine lettuce. They were very tasty. We decided to grill chicken for dinner tonight. I cut up some of the potatoes with a little butter, Tony Chachere's (salt and pepper mixture), and parsley. I then put them in oven to bake. They were so delicious plus we made a side salad with the fresh lettuce. The only item we paid for was the chicken, which was bought on sale, and the side items were free. I will definitely return the favor when my harvests start coming in the next couple of months.

TMR Frugal Living Tip #64

Today's thrifty living tip is use Hydrogen Peroxide to get out blood stains on clothing. This works really well even on older stains. It works better before the stain has set in, but I have had luck with getting out older stains. I just pour a small amount on the stain, and you can see the peroxide bubbling. I just keep applying until the stain is gone.

Another Remodeling Project Completed

I'm remodeling our house using cash only and no credit. It's taking us longer but it's more satisfying knowing that each completed project is paid for upfront. I won't have to worry about making monthly payments on them for the next five years. I completed our kitchen project last fall, but I don't think I ever posted the pictures on this blog. We spent around $800 which included getting the ceiling cracks fixed and painted, new light fixtures, and painting the walls. It was an amazing transformation, and it was an inexpensive project. I'm still not completely finished since I still need a new kitchen floor. I also want to add a wall and base cabinet next to the stove which will give me a nice area for prep work when cooking. I can also store all my spices, baking staples, and some cookware plus my kitchen knives. By adding that one set of cabinets, then I will have more cabinet space again.

My other remodeling project we completed a couple of weeks ago was my utility room. It also had deep cracks in the ceiling and down one wall. You would never know there were ever any cracks. It looks fabulous and got a great deal for the amount of work done. I'm extremely happy and another inexpensive remodel. She not only fixed the cracks, caulked everything, painted the ceiling plus my walls. She even pulled out the washer and dryer and painted behind them plus my old wooden door. Everything looks so clean and new. I'm definitely going to use this company when it's time to paint my house. Our next project is converting the porch into a carport. We should be able to start it either next week or the following week. Of course the worst part of remodeling is waiting on the contractors.

My Garden Update

I started my garden back in February planting cucumber and Roma tomatoes. Most of the Roma plants I started, I direct seeded them into the rows have withered. I pinched a couple of them back when they were still about 3-4" which was a mistake. It made the healthy ones I kept weak and they died off. We also have had lots of rain and high winds which didn't help plus a tornado at the end of March. This has also weakened a couple of my cucumber plants. The stems look frail and brittle at the base, but the vines are extremely healthy and growing. I have taken several pictures and would love any advice on what I should do about the stems. Do I leave them alone or try to give them more support in some way? Not really sure at this point since I'm still pretty new to vegetable gardening. I'm really impressed with most of my tomato plants they are already flowering. I find watching all this new life extremely exciting. We normally don't get this kind of severe weather during the spring so I am impressed with how well the plants are doing despite all the wind we have received the past month.



I noticed the other day that my raspberry plants are coming back. I planted them last year and they didn't make it after Gustav hit. I thought they were gone forever, but they fooled me. I see new shoots almost daily and they are looking very healthy. My friend at Storybook Cottage and Gardens mailed me runners that she grows. I can't wait until I can get my first harvest of berries. My blackberry bushes are also taking off. I even have one runner that is flowering with a couple of small berries. I didn't take a picture of my blueberry bush, but it's flowering and has several small berries. I have to get my watermelon and cantaloupe seeds planted this weekend. I think I will have my husband make me another row. I'm planting Sugarbaby seedless watermelon and an organic cantaloupe. I'm hoping to expand my garden by next year. I hope everyone enjoys the pictures.

Know Your Three R's

No this isn't a post about Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic. Instead this is a post regarding the environment. Today is Earth Day and everyone should be practicing the Three R's. Most people know they are Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle. It's ironic that the generations before us practiced this daily, and it's only in the last century that we have become so wasteful of our resources. There are many ways we can practice them daily and teach them to our children. There are actually too many ways to list them all but I will discuss each one with some examples. Being frugal or thrifty goes hand in hand with the Three R's. You help the environment while helping your pocket book. It's a great combination.

Reduce: Think more about your purchases. There are many items we buy in our lives that we don't really need. Instead of stopping daily for a cup of coffee, how about making your own. You can put it in a commuter mug or thermos which helps to cut down on those cups. So less trash in the landfills. Stop buying bottled water. This is a major landfill contributor. I have a water filter which is more expensive upfront, but I am definitely saving more money yearly. Many bottled water companies aren't selling you pure spring water. It's just tap water so do some research. Stop using throwaway dishes and utensils. Start using dishes that can be washed and reused over time. Stop using paper napkins and switch to cloth. I just throw mine in the load of towels and doesn't cost me any extra in water or energy. You can buy less convenience foods which create more trash and aren't good for you. Use ingredients that can do double duty. I buy vinegar and baking soda which can clean my house, my laundry, cooking, and so much more. Instead of having to buy several cleaners for each job, I make a general cleaner that can do all those jobs and only paid for 2 ingredients. I also feel good about using them in my home around my son. No toxic ingredients going down the drain plus no harmful fumes.

Reuse: This is a harder one for some people. Don't use paper napkins and throwaway dishes but use ones that can be washed. Not using those items are both great examples of reducing and reusing. Packaging isn't always made in a way that could be reused like flour sacks. They used to be made with a material that could be reused into clothing. There are still ways to reuse like vegetable and fruit peelings. These can be put into a compost pile or just chop them up smaller and use as mulch around your outside plants. This can also be done with tea bags, coffee grinds, and egg shells. Most non-meat food scraps can go into a compost pile. This is good for the plants and less trash. Compost makes the most wonderful soil which adds the needed nutrients that plants need. You can also rake up leaves to add to the pile or bag them up and let them rot. They make wonderful mulch. I actually rake them up in the fall and let them rot on top of garden during the winter. The soil looks wonderful when Spring rolls around. Clothes or socks that are full of holes can be used as cleaning rags. A sock makes a great dusting mitt. Old towels also make great rags. I take my son's school pants or jeans and will turn them into shorts, which extends the life of his clothes, plus saves me lots of money. I've also done this with a favorite shirt or pair of pajamas.

Recycle: This is the one that we hear about on a daily basis. This is a very important one, but if more people practiced the first two, then there would be less to recycle. Plastic, paper, cans, and glass bottles are all items that can be recycled. You can also recycle your ink cartridges and electronic batteries like cell phones and laptops. My school participates in recycling them and get a small amount of money for each one collected. The CFL bulbs have to be disposed at certain locations since they contain mercury which shouldn't be in a landfill. You can also donate your used items instead of putting them in the trash. It will help others and you may elect to take a tax deduction. There is also a great website called Freecycle.org to help you find items and donate your used items. Check the website to find a local chapter near you. We all need to work together to preserve our wonderful Earth for our children and future generations.

TMR Frugal Living Tip #63

Today's thrifty living tip is dry your razor in between shaves. Just dab the blades gently with a towel and put it in a dry place like the medicine cabinet for storage. The water will dull the blades. Yes this does work and extends the life of your blades. My husband shaves at least 2-3 times a week plus I use his razor weekly. Since we started using this tip, I will say we have at least added at least another 30 days of use from the blades.

March Entrecard Top 10 Droppers

I haven't posted one of these in a couple of months for which I would like to apologize. I am now back in the habit of doing my daily 300 card drops. I want to thank my top 10 droppers on Entrecard for March. I really appreciate the drops. I hope you guys enjoy the link love.

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