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Archive for the ‘frugal living’ Category

Have you visited the hair-care aisle in your supermarket or pharmacy lately? You may have just gotten used to it, but next time you are there, take a good LOOK.  It’s tremendous!  Cosmetic and drug companies have spend a lot of money (and they’ve done a good job) to convince us that we need these things to make our hair look good.  I know that throughout my life, I’ve tried one conditioner after another, and especially went through an assortment of  “styling products”: mousse, gel, spray, spritz, and glaze.  And these things are not only expensive (as you probably know), but are also full of toxic chemicals which are not only hard on your hair, but also affect the rest of your body.

I have good news for you.  You don’t need them.

There’s a whole movement out there in the healthy/natural lifestyle world.  I only heard of it about a year ago and was intrigued.  It’s called “no poo” (no-shampoo), and it means that you stop using shampoo to wash your hair.

Why would you do this? To recap above:

1. Shampoo is expensive.
2. Shampoo is filled with harsh chemicals which are toxic to your body as they both enter your scalp and you breathe in their fumes.
3. Your body creates natural oils for your hair which are good for it (and meant to be there).  Shampooing often disturbs this occurrence and actually causes your body to make MORE oil (since you took away the oil that was there by shampooing).
4. Read # 3 again: Shampooing makes your hair MORE oily, not less.

I haven’t shampooed my hair for about 3 months now, and I can officially say that this method works, and works well.   My hair is not oily or stinky, and in fact looks as healthy as ever.  All I need to have to take excellent care of my hair is baking soda and apple cider vinegar.

Basically, you wash your hair with 1 tbsp of baking soda mixed with 1 cup of water, massaging the roots well.  After rinsing,  you condition your hair with 1 tbsp of ACV (apple cider vinegar) mixed with 1 cup of water (an important step for maintaining the proper pH), rinse, and you’re done.

The hardest part for me was to refrain from adding some type of gel to my wet hair, but I am getting used to it.  If I really want to add something to help it hold its position and keep from frizzing, I add a little bit of aloe vera gel, which works just fine.

It is common to have an adjustment period of oilier hair, since your body is used to making extra oil to replace what you’ve been stripping away.  Once your body realizes that you’re not doing that any more, it will reduce the amount it makes.  I didn’t have much of a problem with this, and I think that’s because I was already only shampooing about twice a week (but that’s only my theory).

There are plenty of instructions out there, with variations.  Do a google search on “no poo”, and you’ll get plenty.  Here’s a simple one: How To Go No Poo .  If you are considering trying this (which I encourage you to do), you should definitely spend a few minutes researching. If you’d like more detailed information, you can download The No Shampoo Method e-book for a few dollars.

And if you’re looking for a community of no-pooers, “like” the No Shampoo Method on Facebook.

I have a desire for a simple, non-toxic lifestyle in which I spend as little money as necessary and don’t need to worry about running out of, buying, or needing to store lots of STUFF.   So since I can  also use baking soda for brushing my teeth and cleaning, and apple cider vinegar as a wonder-tool as well, this definitely fits my criteria for intentional owning.

Now it’s time to get the rest of the family with the program…

Yesterday I shared my new quest for a more simplistic lifestyle.  In doing so, I’m not only massively decluttering, flylady style to get rid of “extra” stuff, but I’m trying to go greener, cleaner, and all-around more purposeful. FamilyNatural style.

One of the ideas I’d been tossing around my head for awhile was going “no poo,” meaning not using traditional shampoo. I have begun that endeavor and will post about that soon (update: here’s the post), but the reason I bring it up now is that in doing so, I employ what is quickly becoming my new good friend: sodium bicarbonate AKA baking soda.

I’d also been thinking about toothpaste and wanting to make my own less expensive, all natural alternative, and also am using my new good friend: baking soda.

I’m seeing a trend here.

Just thinking of the things I won’t need to buy or store (because I can use baking soda instead) makes me feel inspired in an “I’m headed for a simpler life” – kind – of – a – way.

Here’s a great article listing 40 uses for baking soda. I can’t wait to try more of them out.

And as far as the toothpaste thing, all I did was mix some baking soda with a little sea salt. I dip my moistened brush in and use. It’s definitely salty tasting, but boy, does my mouth feel clean afterward! As soon as I can get my hands on some mint oil, I’ll add that in.

I like the looks of this recipe from Organic Body Care Recipes (Storey, 2007) By Stephanie Tourles.

INGREDIENTS
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon sea salt, finely ground
1 drop peppermint, spearmint, sweet orange, clove, or cinnamon bark essential oil
A few drops tap water

Combine ingredients in a small bowl and mix them thoroughly with a toothbrush, your finger, or a small spoon until a smooth, thick paste forms. The paste shouldn’t be too runny; it has to stay on your toothbrush.

Dip your toothbrush into the paste and use as you would regular commercial toothpaste.

Baking Soda is one of those things that definitely works for me. What’s your favorite way to use it?

Have you seen these tiny houses?

I have 5 children, 2 dogs, and a cat.  I grew up as an only child (own bedroom) with plenty of space to call my own.  Sure, I shared bedrooms in college, but for the most part I’ve had tons of space, always.

I’ve lived with boxes that I never unpacked from the last move, and then moved again.  Boxes of things that hadn’t been opened for years.

I’ve held on to shoes I never wear since they’re uncomfortable, because, well, I already have them, so…why not?

Why not is because the clutter taketh us over…..it’s time to simplify.

No more owning things we don’t use or don’t want.  No more shoving things just anywhere because they don’t have a place they belong.  You’ve heard of “living intentionally?”  Well, I want to own intentionally.

I want to be a family that will have no problem living in a small house (like this family) or, better yet, be mobile.  I’d love to be able to easily transport all of our belongings easily, and for us to be comfortable sleeping on our sleeping bags wherever we go, whether we’re indoors or in tents.

I recently stopped using shampoo (more on this in another post).  I’m the guinea pig, but I hope to get the rest of the family on the program once I get the hang of it.  Besides being better for our health (and our finances), think of the simplicity of being able to use only household products (like baking soda, apple cider vinegar, and eggs) for our hair and not needing to buy or store (or move, if we’re traveling) shampoo, conditioner, and hair gel.  Less stuff, simpler life.

I’m planning to get a Kindle soon and then we can have books we like to refer to and re-read every so often on one little device, and not need to store (or carry, if we’re mobile) so many books! We LOVE books. But do we really need to OWN so many of them?

Less stuff, simpler life.

I know we’re too many people to fit into one of these. But looking at these pictures is inspiring to me.  To me, this says: SIMPLICITY.

What changes have you made, or would you like to make, to simplify your life?

I recently had the following email forwarded to me.  I read it, and then followed by reading the Snopes commentary. Snopes is an organization that checks (and reports on) the validity of rumors such as these. It’s always a good idea to check these claims, though I admit I don’t always do it.

The original email is in italics, with the commentary under it mine.

Baby Carrots:

The following is  information from a farmer who grows and packages carrots for  IGA, METRO, LOBLAWS, etc.

I used to buy those baby carrots for vegetable dips. I know that I will never buy them again!!!!

_________________________________________________________________________

My Commentary:

The commentary by Snopes is good; I am unable to cut and paste a quote here, but what I found important is that all fresh-cut, ready to eat vegetables are cleaned with chlorine as an accepted practice. Yes, they are rinsed.

But, I don’t want to eat chlorine washed veggies.

And Snopes says that the white “film” on the outer layer is NOT chlorine coming to the surface. It’s just drying out, as any carrot will do in the fridge.

Here’s the link: http://www.snopes.com/food/tainted/carrots.asp

Anyway, you must pay a great deal more for the convenience of pre-cut vegetables. I’m sure you have something you’d rather spend your money on, don’t you? It only takes a minute to cut some carrot sticks. I do it all the time!



Many people believe that it costs too much money to live a natural and healthy lifestyle.

Are you one of them?

My good friends, Drs. Jeff and Andrea Hazim are teaching a free online seminar this Monday night, 8:30-9:30 ET.

Jeff and Andrea are excellent teachers and I’ve learned a great deal from them. WellWithU.com is “Your trusted online resource for professional health education and products that are inspired by enduring Biblical principals”

Entitled:

“Natural Health on a Budget: Practical Wellness Advice for Tight Times”

In it, you’ll learn:

* How to lower your shopping bill by buying high nutritional value foods

* Easy cooking tips for making delicious healthy meals

* How to lower both your medical and life insurance bills

* Which oils are both healthy and a great deal

* Exercise programs you can do at home without expensive equipment

* Diets that lose your fat while they save your money

* The cheapest way to get organic vegetables

Reserve your FREE Webinar seat now at:
https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/774915904

disclosure: I was not asked to promote this webinar, and only do so with good intentions. However, my husband is a founder of WellWithU.com, and I will therefore benefit financially from that company’s business.

Confession: We’ve been using imitation vanilla. As in Fake. As in, filled with chemicals and nothing good. And it doesn’t even taste good! Why, you may ask? Well, to save money. Vanilla extract is expensive–and that’s in the US, where it’s made. Add import expenses and taxes to that, and, …..you can’t even find it here without really looking. And when you do, you don’t want to buy it because of the exorbitant price.

A while ago, I saw a recipe somewhere for making your own vanilla extract. I thought it sounded interesting, but did nothing about it as I didn’t have the brain space and energy needed to hunt down real vanilla beans.

And then, the other day, I happened to find some.

I bought 3 for 20 shekels, which is about $5. Expensive, yes. But only about as expensive as ONE BOTTLE OF EXTRACT. And then I found that with those SAME 3 vanilla beans, I can make enough extract to last for YEARS!

I got mine brewing the other day and sadly need to wait 8 weeks. But then…..vanilla. In pancakes, desserts, drinks…..I love the flavor. Good stuff.

Here’s the recipe, found at SimplyRecipes.com

How to Make Vanilla Extract

Method

1 Use kitchen scissors or a sharp paring knife to cut lengthwise down each vanilla bean, splitting them in half, leaving an inch at the end connected.

2 Put vanilla beans in a glass jar or bottle with a tight fitting lid (mason jars work well). Cover completely with the vodka.

3 Give the bottle a good shake every once in a while. Store in a dark, cool place for 2 months or longer.

Lasts for years. You can keep topping it off with vodka once in a while as you use it, just remember to give it a good shake.

Searching on Vanilla for this post, I came across this music video. It’ll bring you back. (I was unable to embed it here. Sorry!)

Before you say “NO WAY”, just hear me out.

It’s not THAT hard.

OK, it’s a little hard, but not really. If you’ve never done it before, learn a few tips, and then you learn by practicing. And here’s where little kids come in handy. They don’t really care if it’s not quite right.

I have given all of my boys all of their haircuts since they were babies. I started learning on the first one, and got better with time. Now, I have four whose hair I cut every 2 months or so.

Here’s what I do:

• Sit child wearing bib or apron on top of table, at corner (so I can stand on the side)
• Play video in front of child. This helps him sit still and not try to watch what you are doing.
• Spray hair with warm water. Using a fine tooth comb, hold a section of hair up between your second & third fingers. Cut desired length.
• Repeat, cutting section adjacent to already cut section. This is how you make sure it’s the same length.
• On the top of the head, make sure you go front to back, and on the sides and back of the head go up to down. Otherwise you end up with stripes. (ask me how I know).

I’m sure there are some video tutorials on YouTube; at the time of this post I didn’t have time to look for one. But I will add one later on if I find a good one.

I had NO previous experience. Really. And I make a few mistakes now and then, but not too bad. Honestly, it’s not that hard. I think the hardest part is to be willing to do it, to believe that you can, and to not be afraid.

It grows back.

For more FrugalFriday ideas, visit LifeAsMom.com

“Beans, beans, the musical fruit. The more you eat, the more you…..”

I always found this little rhyme at least moderately amusing. It makes me giggle even now. I haven’t shared it yet with my guys because I just know they will probably not stop saying it & then collapse in hysterics. But, they are boys, after all, It might be time to teach them about armpit “honks”. Crass, yes. But some things are just funny.

But I digress.

Beans are extremely nutritious. See bean nutrition facts here. Beans, when combined with rice, provide a complete protein. Many Latin American countries rely on this combination for most of their dietary needs.

But why do I mention it here, on Frugal Friday? Because beans are CHEAP! Really, really inexpensive. Buy the dried beans in a bag, soak them overnight, and then follow any of thousands of recipes. I have some recipes for beans here on my blog;

Chickpeas and Spinach
Lentil and Potato Stew with Spiced Oil
Mexican Taco Casserole
Cuban Black Beans
Amazing Black Bean Burgers

Easy Hummus

Jamaican Rice and Peas

Have a good weekend!

Other than eating a yummy bowl of chicken soup (especially with matzah-balls) once in a while, I used to think that there was no real reason I would spend my time making it. I mean, soup is for eating, right? Wrong.

I found out that chicken broth is for cooking with. From soups and stews to seasoned rice and sauces, chicken broth (or any good vegetable broth) is an absolute must-have for cooking. And although you can buy canned or boxed broth, it costs MUCH LESS to make it yourself. And it really is easy.

Oh, and you don’t need to use any MSG to make it delicious! I actually used to use chicken boullion in my chicken soup and didn’t know I could get it to be flavorful without it. I mean, our grandmothers must have been absolutely primitive to not have such a convenience item, right?

Freeze your broth in a muffin tin, then pop out the frozen servings for easy use.

Take:

1. A BIG pot
2. Bones or carcasses you’ve been saving from previously roasted chicken dinners. OR necks or carcasses you get on sale at the market. OR 2 whole chickens (this will be a little more work, but will give you meals out of it as well)
3. Add 2 onions (halved), 4 carrots, a bunch of celery leaves/1-2 stalks
4. Add a bunch of parsley and a bunch of dill (thanks to my cousin Wendy for teaching me!)
5. Cover with water and simmer away.

If you are using the 2 whole chickens, take the meat off of one chicken after 1 hr, returning the bones to the pot. Simmer away. Save that chicken meat for another yummy meal.

After a couple of hours, strain and remove remaining meat. That meat will be tough but works fine for chicken salad, etc. Remove all solids, strain soup, cool, and freeze.

Enjoy!

The folks at Pampers evidently feel the need to clear up some “confusion” regarding diapers. Specifically, regarding the debate between those backwards non progressing tree hugging natural crunchy cloth diaper users and normal modern people. They actually have this myths and facts page on their site.

Here’s one of the (humorous? Unbelievable?) highlights for me.

“Myth: Disposable diapers are harmful to the environment.
Fact: All of the component materials in Pampers diapers are gentle to consumers and safe for the environment. Pampers diapers are made of materials that are also frequently used in a wide range of other consumer products.“

The italics is mine. I did it to expose an incredibly flawed logic that I believe is extremely dangerous. (Not that my mommy brain is the queen of logic, mind you)

They are saying that you should accept the toxic stuff in their diapers as being safe for the environment (and also for you) because it’s “frequently used in a wide range of other…products.”

Um…hello? Many, MANY products are FILLED with toxic stuff. That’s the problem. It’s all around us. It’s…ubiquitous! (How’s that for an SAT word from this mommy’s brain!? If you want to rid your body of the toxins it’s accumulated, you must do a purposeful detox. More on that here and here.

SODIUM POLYACRYLATE is the chemical, added in powder form to the inner pad of a disposable, that makes it super-absorbent. When the powdered form becomes wet, it turns into a gel.

It can:
Can absorb up to 100X its weight in water.
Can stick to baby’s genitals, causing allergic reactions.
Reported to cause severe skin irritations, oozing blood from perineum and scrotal tissues, fever, vomiting and staph infections in babies.
When injected into rats it has caused hemorrhage, cardiovascular failure and death.
Banned from tampons in 1985 because of its link to Toxic Shock Syndrome.
Has killed children after ingesting as little as 5 grams of it.
Causes female organ problems, slows healing wounds, fatigue and weight loss to the employees in factories that manufacture it.

above info taken from an article on The Diaper Hyena; entire article here

According to the Clean Air Council, parents throw away 570 diapers PER SECOND! And one diaper takes 300 YEARS to break down.

Watch a 2 min news report on why a mother of triplets has chosen to switch to cloth diapers.

I wrote a 2 part post on cloth diapers and why I use them. You can read them here and here.