If you have any tips, ideas on anything I have missed, please chime in!!
Also wanted to note, for those of us that call ourselves Christ's followers, a reminder I've continued to have throughout this green lifestyle change and food revolution at home: God calls us NOT to be of this world, but to be set apart, to be different, weird different. CRUNCHY different:] For it is the Lord who has called us to be stewards of this planet, as well as keepers of our bodies. We should be the greenest of all peoples on this earth...perhaps this the revolution God is calling for. FOR, it is when we are in a garden, and close to God's earthly creation, that we can be closet to Him, as the saying goes. We have become far from it these days, which would explain a good deal of our problems, I believe hardily!
Saddly, I have been feeling more set apart from my "church" friends and family on this journey, and feel closer to those not wanting to call themselves Christians.
As much as this breaks my heart, it renews my spirit to know that God is blessing these decisions with not just "budget" fixes, but also through the excellent health and home remedies that are keeping our family out of doctors offices and enjoying our lives together without many illnesses.
With that said, I hope you enjoy this list, a tad lengthy and not yet finished, because me and hubby, and friends also on this journey, are ALWAYS learning ways to continue simplifying, as well as saving money!
Enjoy loves!
TIPS from the Kitchen:
*Consider finding a constant producing meal plan source. We have found an inexpensive source that is saving us money AND has excellent recipes, who would have believed it could be found? Here is the EXcellent meal plans we've been using for over a year, and it has been enriching our life, to say the least;] check it out!
www.emeals.com
Funny thing is, it is endorsed by Dave Ramsey!
So, for 3 months of dinner meals it is $21 and for dinners AND breakfast menus, it is $30!! That is pretty affordable, especially for saving those of us mamas from the headache of coming up with it on our own! And even if you just use it for 6 months...that is 6 months of menus to rotate for a few years, right:?] What a savings!!!
*Another EXcellent source for GREAT food at a price just about better than Wal-Mart, and WAY healthier, is Bountiful Baskets, if you haven't checked this out, now is the time! Almost too much produce for a family of 4:] It is a blessing.
http://www.bountifulbaskets.org/
NEXT:
*Start saving those glass jars to use in place of plastic for food storage. Not only does the keep you away from BPA, but it creates a more eclectic and old fashioned, yet fun feel to food storage;]
*Make your own chicken broth by crock-potting or dutch oven on the stove by using your bone-in chicken from last nights meal (btw, the most inexpensive free-range chicken to buy at New Frontiers is bone in split chicken breast...usually $3.49/lb). All you do is add water to cover the chicken bone and let it sit for 8+ hours, and afterwards you get an extra healthy broth, the bones and cartilage are what make broths SO nutritious!
*When you get those pesky extra envelopes in the mail from bills for return mail, keep them and use them for the bills or letters you send out each month, and WA-LA, no more buying envelopes, and less goes into the trash!
*Start buying the things you think that are "normal" to buy in cans, and buy them dry in bulk!! It is not much harder to prepare dried beans, lentils, chickpeas, rice, AND it saves money, keeps you away from BPA, and reduces the wast to be thrown out or even recycled:] Plus, I must admit, I LOVE looking at my glass jars full of colored dried beans vs. ugly cans!! BTW, rice and whole wheat grains are SO very inexpensive this way!! a 25-50lb bag is less than it's weight in cost!! You can easily find this is so at Natural Grocers, I am hoping our new Sprouts will also provide excellent bulk options!!
*Consider swapping your cook ware out for cast iron (preferably) and stainless steel. Reason being, they last a lifetime while the "non-stick" and lightweight aluminum pots and pans are disposable as well as hazardous to your health. Cast Iron is actually VERY affordable. Look for the *Lodge brand, at Cal-Ranch stores, as it is made in America!!! It is NOT a good idea to get extra aluminum into your diet by using an aluminum pan. BUT, it is advisable by doctors everywhere that using cast iron is a great way to get extra iron. Weird, but true;] With that said, I LOVE my cast iron dutch oven that my grandma passed on to me...from her father!!!
*Start recognizing the things you buy and what you can get packaged in paper and glass instead of plastic or metal. The benefits: you can more easily get glass recycled, or use it at home or around the house. For example, I splurge once in awhile on a cheesecake in a cute tiny mason jar, mainly so that I can have the jar for my spices!!
*Also- start buying spices and teas in bulk to put in your cute saved glass jars at home! Again, this saves packaging AND keeps you away from plastic BPA while saving you money! BTW, vanilla beans in bulk at New Frontiers are the MOST inexpensive you can find in town;] Great for those wanting to start vanilla extract...which is JUST vodka and split vanilla beans:]
*Consider starting to make your cleaning products, and even soaps, as this not only saves money, but it can very seriously save you from cancer!! It is now a growing knowledge and concern among doctors that a majority of breast cancer victims have had a close association with cleaning products.
I now make our hand soap for the kitchen and buy lovely bar soap for the bathrooms. Got this idea from my mother-in-law. The great thing about certain bar soaps is they not only are more natural and have MUCH better ingredients than commercial soaps, but my favorite part, they will have less packaging!! Or buy from local makers of soap to support our local businesses!
Hand Soap Recipe (for my kitchen sink!)
1 cup of water
1-2 TBS castille soap
5-10 drops of lavender essential oil OR any other oil scents you prefer! Lavender does have a certain amount of antibacterial properties, which is at a MUCH safer level than any antibacterial soap you buy from the store, which is usually too much, and kills the good as well as the bad.
*If you need recipes for certain, or ALL cleaners, please let me know, I would LOVE to provide those recipes if you don't want to seek them out, I've got them for just about everything now:] Including an Oxiclean replacement!!!
*Another option to make things more inexpensive...make a few of your own grooming products. Like toothpaste (my favorite homemade option now) and shampoos! AND, look into oil pulling. It is the safe alternative to mouth wash. Oil pulling with coconut oil can stop bleeding gums and it kills bad bacterial in the mouth since it is antibacterial! Just swish it for 3-5 minutes like you would 'Listerine' and have a new inexpensive and much more effective mouth wash option.
ALSO, consider the fact that cavities can be HEALED with diet. YES, I said HEALED.
Want more info on this? Due to this simple fact, we have NOT seen the dentist in over 3+ years, on top
of a few of my hubby's cavities disappearing...yet ANOTHER huge BONUS in changing our eating lifestyle habits!! Check this out to be blown away!
http://www.keeperofthehome.org/2012/04/rethinking-oral-health-care-a-homemade-toothpaste-recipe-for-tooth-remineralization.html
Homemade toothpaste recipe:
NO MORE buying toothpaste!
2-4 TBs of baking soda in one of your cute saved glass jars
2 or more TBs of filtered water to make a paste
20 drops of peppermint essential oil (or other preference!)
You can also add the remineralizing drops at this point, I still have as yet to pick
some up and try them myself!
For the kiddos, who may be stuck on their super sweet toothpaste (like we are, but we as adults usually suck it up to change habits, right:?] especially if it means not having cavities anymore!!) Just put some coconut oil on their toothbrushes until they can slowly work up to the toothpastes salty taste. BTW, you aren't supposed to brush your teeth with fluoride OR sugar...they BOTH cause cavities.
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/01/22/does-fluoride-really-fight-cavities.aspx
*Also consider starting to buy baking grains in bulk. Again, this will not only save you money in the long run, but it will save your health too. When you start to bake with whole wheat and other whole grains (whole grains we may not have heard of before, because the grocery stores only sell white and whole wheat), everything you make will being to taste BETTER!! In order to grind your own grain, you will need to invest in either an electric grain mill (between $200-$400), or an inexpensive hand mill (my first start) $60, great for the kiddos to help grind with btw, and even a high quality blender will grind grain into flour. I have been loving our Vitamix for making quick work for grain to flour! BTW, the 50lb bag of 'sweet' hard red winter wheat berries I just picked up at Natural Grocers was $41!!! That is less than the poundage! You won't find that for white or wheat flours even at wally world.
*Consider switching out as many consumable paper products in your home, as you can! We have been using cloth napkins, and bar towels instead of paper towels for years now. I love not having to buy that extra fluff, not to mention I love not having that extra trash! The next thing done, as hubby is still not a huge fan, is using old socks in replacement of tissues. He still prefers paper tissues, which is such a waste when you really think about it! Next project, this week actually, is making soft hankies from old clothes and material I have hanging around the house to fill an old tissue box!! I can't wait! AND, if doing extra laundry wants you to make this consideration NULL...consider going through your families' clothes. After watching an Australian house cleaning show, the gal suggested that each family member, espeically kiddos, should not have more than 15 outfits for each season! It's nice to have a number to go by! I usually enjoy FEWER than that for my kiddos wardrobe to keep laundry at bay. In fact, I think hubby's clothing collection is the largest of the entire family. BUT, that is his freedom, being the money maker and all;]
*Now, how to eliminate toilet paper, or reduce its use? A bidet of course! Yet another investment, but this is what other countries use for their sanitary needs, and do say it is MUCH better, safer, and cleaner than toilet paper. I had no idea that most of the time a bidet is a stand alone toilet unto itself, and at home depot they are as inexpensive as $98 for the unit, minus the faucet and plumbing. You can also pick up a spray attachment that ranges from $40-$100 as well! So that is our next move. Other folks I know, are actually moving towards re-usable cloth "wipes" which isn't that gross of an idea, if you can wrap your brain around it AND have or do cloth diapers anyhow, and considering cloth menstrual pads! My hubby wouldn't even entertain the idea, so we are going with the bidet.
http://products.mercola.com/toilet-bidet/
*Other excellent ways to save money are...Cloth Diaper your babes!!! I LOVE this option, and know many mamas do it!! Though it is a tad more work, the benefits are not only financially, but physical as well. Babes who are cloth diapered are also potty trained faster, have fewer chemical burns and rashes AND, the big buster, you save over $2000/per child, per year when you don't buy disposables, and cloth diaper. I am a HUGE advocate for this, and teach classes (so if you are interested but intimidated, please let me know, I will give you the info, and a face to face break down for FREE if you want to even consider it!) another reason I am a HUGE advocate, besides the fact that is WAY more kind to the planet, but it is also safer for babies. The chemicals in disposables are MUCH more harmful than what they allow to be put in ladies' menstrual pads and tampons, which is WRONG! The same chemical that was taken out of tampons causing toxic shock syndrome, are the same crystals that you see leach out and get all over your babies genitals. How is this allowed? If you have a problem with it (this chemical also causes asthma and other respiratory problems), I will happily help you make the switch!!
*AND, on the note of menstrual pads, there is an inexpensive solution for this as well, which I have enjoyed for years, even since my periods a few years back started getting worse, cramp and flow wise, I decided to stop using tampons and consider other options, because there are other options!! And btw, when I stopped using the tampons, my periods went back to normal:]
The cloth menstrual pads are SO much more comfortable, and the Diva cup works like a tampon, which is nice for those that JUST can't/won't give up the convience, thankfully the Diva cup is a safer solution. Want to check out these pads I'm talking about? They aren't any more work to launder, and if you are already washing cloth diapers, just throw them in with the loads, this is what I did, without even soaking. Without cloth diapers, I would do them as a load on their own. Just kept them in a plastic bag until my week was pretty much over. I did buy some bulk all natural, biodegradable panty liners for catching springs and leaks;] and that is nice to have in bulk because this ENTIRE switch over made my life happier when I realized I would NEVER have to go to the store and stand in line with an annoying box or bag of "lady pads" EVER again! Yea, that's the bonus!! So check out these options, the cloth, and for the all natural panty liners here.
http://lunapads.com/
Here are the panty liners...bought this same amount 3+ years ago, still have half of them...of course being prego half the time helps!! Lol
http://www.amazon.com/Natracare-Natural-Panty-Liners-Breathable/dp/B000EWDJWK
*This next opinion is mostly green and not too much on saving money, BUT I am seriously concerned about and plead with you all to consider changing this one small habit, especially for those with children at home.
Plastic Bags.
We are teaching our children that our world is disposable with every plastic bag, and other plastic items, we consume. It IS a habit that takes a bit of getting used to, BUT take this into consideration: The rest of the world has banned the use of plastic bags, due to the fact that these little thin bags have destroyed deserts, oceans and cities the world over. For some reason, we here in the USA don't seem to be plagued by the very thing we are causing most widely the world over, UNlike cultures across our seas, and the seas themselves.
Thankfully, but ohhh too slowly, city after American city, is banning plastic bags. So why not be ahead of the rest of the USA and make it a change you can be proud to explain to your kids! Please!
Btw, the only fair aspect of it all, which is not really fair unless it only happened to those who use plastic bags, is the fact that the majority of fish we eat today have, themselves, consumed these broken down plastic bags, as well as our other plastic waste.
SO, eat plastic my friends, because this situation is not getting any better until WE each take responsibility for our own waste, household by household. And it is SO very nice to be a part of the solution, not the problem:]
*I've come all this way and haven't mentioned gardens yet! How dare I! Perhaps it is because it's snowing outside, hehe.
BUT, if you are wanting to switch to organic but can not afford it, gardening is the most inexpensive way to do it! Even in an apartment! Even in the winter!
If you have any space at all, you can garden! You can even make your own soil from the food scraps in your kitchen!!
SO, if you live in an apartment, the options you would want to consider are, container gardening, inside and out, or hydroponics, which is essentially, gardening with just water and lights.
http://www.ehow.com/how_7762065_build-small-hydroponic-system.html
There are so many options, and plenty to get started, with JUST what you have in your home and/or garage as well!
AND, if the indoor ideas don't pique your interest, when spring comes, consider starting and participating in a local or 'on the grounds' community garden. Not only is this healthy for the body, but it is healthy for the soul and spirit, as it will get you acquainted with neighbors and create a BEAUTIFUL space near your home!
Don't take this idea lightly. It takes a bit of motivation to get things started, but the reward is DOING it, and living your life through ACTION:]
Also know, that here in Flagstaff, there is a garden starts program, where you can pay to have your seedlings started for you! We took advantage of this, summer of 2012, and it was nice for us beginners!
This year, we will be doing it on our own!
http://flaggardenstartscsa.wordpress.com/about/
*Another fun part of having a garden in your life, however you can do it, is by taking the next, perhaps first step for some of us, by starting a compost. You can create a compost pile/bin outside, even though during the winter this is quite difficult, as the composting can slow if there aren't enough worms eating on it (like in our compost) or just the fact that it is hard to be motivated to take your scraps out into the cold. What has piqued my interest now, is having a worm compost bin INSIDE the house, year around, to eat the veggie and fruit scraps to create our own EXcellent, better than anywhere in town, garden soil! Not to mention, this again creates less trash for the dump AND it is the essence of reusing and re-creating what you have at home, into something you won't have to buy for your organic garden.
*Here is the site my dear girlfriend sent to me, that she has used, and perfected HER worm composter in order to have it UNDERneath her sink, without it smelling!! How wonderful is THIS?! An organic garbage disposal, practically!!!
http://www.redwormcomposting.com/getting-started/
*Let's not forget the awesome garden animals that can be added and enjoyed if you have a bit of yard space. Because if you have yard space, you should totally use at least HALF of it to garden. I did, and my babes LOVED playing in it, especially at the height of it's season, it was like a jungle play land for them!!
Now, the animals I am talking about are chickens, and perhaps ducks. Though ducks should have more land because they also prefer water/pond to be quite happy and .25 of an acre for a back yard still isn't quite enough for 4 ducks! But it is plenty for 4-6 chickens!
Now why do I bring up chickens? Because they are PERFECT for a garden!! Not only do you get EGGS, and they eat your veggie and fruit scraps, but they also give free fertilizer for your garden, and they enjoy keeping the bugs a bay!!!
PLUS, you don't have to take them for a walk.
LET me tell you how awesome it is, to have pets that not only my kiddo goes nutso over, but they also give back in SO many ways, don't eat that much AND don't require walking.
It is the sole reason we have not invested in a dog...because saddly, unless you have a flock or herd of something for a dog to watch over, dogs are like vehicles, and not an investment, but a hobby that requires a lot of work and money.
But chickens on the other hand...ahhhh, they are friendly, happy money saving creatures, and what is so wonderful, is that EVEN if an HOA says you can't have 'em, it is against the law to say so, because poultry is allowed inside Flagstaff (and most all) city limits...and outside city limits, anything is allowed, lol.
That is my HUGE 2 cents worth...think about getting some backyard chickens, it is another habitual sustainable habit that is also enjoyable!!
*Now you may be asking...but what other things can be made to save money?
I'll list a few I have enjoyed and am working on!!
THEN, if you are interested in getting recipes, just let me know!!
-Extracts - super easy for vanilla and almond...but don't stop there, you can make mint, orange, well almost anything your heart desires! Remember, it is simply vodka covering split vanilla beans or soaked almonds.
-Sprouts, bean or seeds - these are actually healthier for you than a smoothie...well, the same, they just pack a TON of nutrients, it's like eating the sun! You can get a sprouter at New Frontiers or Natural Grocers, or you can use a jar/mason jar and soak seeds over night, rinse in the morning, and then tip upside down with cheese cloth wrapped over the opening, so it can drain, and rinse 2-3 times a day...most sprouts take 2-4 days to finish sprouting. These can be used on sandwiches, in salads, soups, pasta dishes, the possibilities are endless, and the sprouts are quite addicting, they are SO good!
-Sauerkraut...this is WAY good to make at home, as it has allll the probiotics needed to keep the gut healthy, unlike pasteurized store kraut
-Chicken broth - easy
-Almond and coconut milk - easy (soak almonds over night, and blend with same amount of water,
for coconut, use hot water for the same amount of shredded unsweetened coconut and blend in blender. Put both in either cheesecloth over a bowl, or a kitchen towel, which I do, and squeeze all excess milk!)
-Chocolate, yes chocolate in almost any Form: syrup, bars, candies...super easy!!
*CHOCOLATE RECIPE:
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup coconut oil (melt in toaster oven for easier mixing)
2 TBs maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
Mix, enjoy dipping for fruit, or mix in favorite nuts/dried fruits and pour into oiled pan, set in fridge
or freezer for a few minutes, and cut, and enjoy and there you have it, a chocolate bar better, almost, than
Belgium sweets!
-Vitamin C powder, run out of chew-ables or supplements? WELL, the next time you eat an orange, keep the rinds, let them dry out completely, and then blend them in the blender. This powder packs the same powerful punch as any chew-able or supplement pill! All you do is use it in teas, smoothies, juices, whatever you can think of to help boost the immune system, because we all know, over dosing on Vit C during illness is a SURE way to kill a cold/flu FAST:]
These are just a FEW of the healthy easy foods you can make at home. Need more ideas? Let me know. Want a home recipe for a food you love AND buy ALL the time? Would love to find an easy-peasy recipe for you!!
If you have other recipes you want to see here, let me know...however this is what pinterest is for;] hehe
BUT, I love sharing, so let me know!
*Now...on to another bit of saving money and health.
Consider moving your medicine cabinet to more earthly options. Start looking/learning about herbal remedies and essential oils. These "remedies" are much safer and lighter on the bodies' system when the body is stressed by disease, illness and injury. Our grandmothers and great grandmothers KNEW what they were doing when they grew certain and strange herbs in their garden... sadly a lot of their wisdom has been lost...but thankfully we can re-gain this info to create EXcellent options to treat our families from headaches and sore throats, all the way to bruises, burns and broken bones (YES, there are herbs to help speed the healing of broken bones! GOD is amazing!)
AND a few of us mamas have used such remedies on our rambunctious children with GREAT pleasure at the outcomes!! I have used Calendula oil on burns, which soothes the pain instantly and heals the burn within 24 hours! My baby girl has slammed her finger in a drawer, and started a blood blister under her nail, used Calendula oil again, and the blister was gone within 24 hours!
My girl friend has used Calendula oil multiple times on her boys' burns, and again, it instantly takes the pain away and heals the burn within 24-48 hours, depending on the degree. Again, honey will help heal a burn too if there aren't any other fast options hanging around the house!
Baby girl got an ear infection this past month, and instead of getting antibiotics like every doctor suggests, we cut up an onion and held it by her ear, and her ear drained within an hour and she was good to go, and slept wonderfully after a long painful day!!!
GOD wants us to use what He as provided us here on earth, because He has provided everything for our health and well being. The fun part is learning this knowledge and applying it!!
*ONE last suggestion on saving money before calling it this LONG blog's end;] You may ask, how in the WORLD does a mama find time to do alll this, and more? To save money (and the planet, let alone our households) takes planning, time, and motivation. Personally, my first suggestion is to cut out Satellite/cable TV. We do NOT realize how much time this sucks away from our families, until it is too late! And it is one less bill to pay. I know many of you mamas have already made this excellent commitment to your families!! We recently have nixed Netflix and Hulu as well because we were starting to treat it LIKE cable every night, expecting to spend an hour or two in front of the tv, even though The Biggest Loser seems like a "good" thing to watch, it quickly makes 2 hours disappear each night watched! It amazes me, every time we stray with our time, and then re-commit to turning off the tube, even just after dinner (let alone during the day for us stay at home moms), I get more motivated to do things...it's like a 2 day detox though...the TV and movies are SOOOO addicting, especially during the winter!
BUT, I have to tell you, even nixing how much tv both ME and my girl watch, totally improves BOTH our attitudes towards each other, and we end up doing a LOT more things together. So far this week, my girl has helped me put together a batch of Sauerkraut, our first beautiful batch of cast iron baked bread, no grain brownies, AND coconut milk! And it's only Wednesday, and that of course doesn't include dinners! SO...cut the TV, detox your kids and yourself, yes, even from Oprah, and start living your own life!! Get those kiddos into the kitchen with you and make some yummy dinners, excellent bakes, and memories in a kitchen that will only become the best addiction ever for EVERY family member!
The way to a family coming together is through the KITCHEN:]
I most likely have more to share, but this was just a BIT of what I, and my friends, have learned together on this food/lifestyle/hippie journey that God has been totally blessing us and helping us create healthier bodies, as well as a healthier homes and a more beautiful planet! I ask you to join us, as the learning curve never seems to end, even though we are constantly learning how to simplify our lives! So much knowledge has been lost over the last 50+ years for the sake of convience. I feel like we are ALL being called back to such simple days of life, for the sake of our health and our Children's future!!!
Another great source I have been enjoying for not only the entertainment factor, but also learning from, is Mary Janes Farm, which is a magazine, but also an online community of women sharing their way of life, organic lifestyles, by way of either urban or country living, and how they are doing it every day, and making it glamorous to boot!!
Check it out, and once I get the Flagstaff Farmgirl chapter up and running, I will be sharing HERE, so keep it tuned in!!!
xoxox,
LOVE to all, enjoy this journey called life, for it only gets interesting when we decide to continue learning, loving and laughing all the way through!!! hehehe.
