Rags vs. Paper Towels

In my couponing days, I used to stock up on paper towels because I got a good deal.  Good, not great.  I have not purchased paper towels in a year and half and am now reaching the end of my stock.  I don't want to buy more!  So, as a transition, I have been trying to use rags as much as I can instead of paper towels.  Yes, that means I'm reheating that muffin on a plate instead of a paper towel, cleaning up spilled purple grape juice and risking a stain, but I'm also saving money and producing less garbage.

My only worry was that my rag (and my house) would smell like vinegar all day.  FALSE!  If you rinse the rag after each use, it doesn't stink.  I just happened to have 7 old wash cloths lying around that I used to use for household cleaning (I have now switched to old cloth diaper prefolds - less lint).  I just use one rag and throw it in the laundry at the end of the day.  I am proud to say the roll of paper towel sitting on my counter is only 6 sheets shy of a full roll!  Try it for a week and see what happens.

Here's some paper towel facts thanks to Attempts at a Simpler Life

• According to the EPA 3,460,000 tons of tissues and paper towels wound up in landfills in 2008.  Oh my, did you notice that the figure is in tons.  That is equal to 6,920,000 pounds!!!!  That is over 2 lbs. of paper towels and tissues per person.  I did a little experiment and weighed a paper towel on my food scale and it would take approximately as many paper towels as there are days in a year to equal two pounds.  So really, one a day doesn't seem like much, but when it is everyone in the country the amount of waste becomes enormous!  I'm not even sure my statistics are right either, because I think I use more than one paper towel a day and I try to use them very judiciously.
• As many as 51,000 trees per day are required to replace the number of paper towels that are discarded every day.
• If every household in the U.S. used just one less 70-sheet roll of virgin fiber paper towels, that would save 544,000 trees each year. Change that to using three less rolls per U.S. household per year, and that would save 120,000 tons of waste and $4.1 million in landfill dumping fees.  I would like to add,  if we reduce our consumption/demand for paper towels we are also reducing the demand to transport them, which means we are using less oil and causing less air pollution.  Is that a trifecta of environmentalism or what!?!?!
• An immense amount of water is used to make paper towels.  According to Wiki Answers (I know this isn't the best source, but I could find so little on this topic) you would need 38-50 gallons of water to produce one pound of paper towels.  Quick quiz - How many pounds of paper towels and tissues did the EPA say were going to landfills (hint: see above)?  You do the math, almost 7 million pounds times 38 gallons of water (we will be safe and play it conservatively) equals how much wasted fresh water?
• When paper rots in our landfills it emits methane which contributes to global warming.

Plastic Grocery Bags

We've all forgotten our reusable grocery bags now and again...right? Well, just use them as garbage bags!  I hate a stinky garbage bag that sits in the can waiting for days to be filled, so I just use a small grocery bag or two every day!  I even found this awesome DIY bag dispenser on Pintrest.  I also made a bunch more "refills" for my dispensers since I have so many darn bags!

Reusable Wipes

I LOVE MY SWIFFER PRODUCTS! But I don't love buying refills (or buying them for cheap with a coupon - yeah, I said it!).  So, I hopped on Etsy and searched for reusable Swiffer WetJet pads and Swiffer dusters.  Below are the links to the shops I bought from.  I've also altered my WetJet bottle by making a small hole at the top to refill with my own mop solution. I sealed the bottle with an upside down suction cup.  If you don't want to do the work you can check out the Libman Freedom Mop.

It comes with a refillable bottle and a reusable pad (or two) and it doesn't need batteries!  How great!

Swiffer Dusters - http://www.etsy.com/shop/theGreenShop
Swiffer Mop - http://www.etsy.com/shop/detroitknitter

Cloth Diapers and Wipes

Did you know a newborn goes through 10-12 diapers a day? And as they grow the still continue to use several diapers daily - some say up to 3000-3500 a year!  Don't forget about the wipes!  A box of diapers costs me $18-20 and I used to buy 2-3 boxes a month!  I don't even want to do the math! When I was pregnant with my first son, I joined a group of friends in a coupon frenzy and was able to save money on diapers and stock up on 8 months of diapers before he was born.  Now that I have extinguished my stockpile and have another bundle of (poopy) joy on the way I really began to reconsider dumping all that money into a necessary purchase!  I asked myself, how can I save money on something I NEED daily?  Now I know all of you out there aren't mommas, but that question is very important in other areas of your life (ex: Body Products, Household Cleaners).  I also decided to switch to cloth wipes for the same reasons.  I need them daily!

I'm not going to get into the nitty gritty of cloth diapers, but I'll tell you one thing: Cloth diapers and wipes made my wallet happier!

PROS:
You never run out!
No more late night trips to the store and paying high prices for diapers without a coupon!
No harsh chemicals on your baby's delicate skin
They last for years
They are pretty darn cute (for girls AND boys!)

CONS:
Constant laundry
Can get kind of messy (if you know what I mean)
Laundry must be separated and washed a special way

Here are some of my favorite links:
Allaboutclothdiapers.com
http://www.zany-zebra.com/cloth-wipe-solution.shtml

• My favorite wipes solution recipe is:
• 1/4 cup aloe vera gel
• 2 drops Tea Tree Oil
• 2 cups hot water
• Mix everything into an old pop bottle, shake, and let cool!

Reusable Pads

Tired of buys pads and tampons every month? Try reusable products!  It may be expensive to start out, but think of all the money you'll be saving in the long run!  Plus you can just throw the pads in with your laundry! I wish I had started doing this earlier!  If you don't like pads, try the Diva Cup or another version of it.  I've found that shopping on Etsy is much cheaper than the first two sites.  One thing to be thankful for during that time of the month is a bit more money in your wallet

Glad Rags

Etsy! Pantyliners or Pads

Luna Pads and Diva Cup

Homemade Body Products

When you are trying to save money, you need to ask yourself "how can I save money on something I NEED DAILY?  My answer: Make it yourself!

Check out these easy and simple recipes for homemade body products thanks to Passionate Homemaking Blog

Deodorant

Chapstick - Look Out Burt!

Homemade Toothpaste

Shampoo - Look through the comments for tips on altering

Coconut oil is great for your body- inside and out!

Homemade Household Cleaners

Do you find yourself dishing out a bunch of money every month on laundry detergent, all purpose spray, glass cleaner, etc?  I used to be one of those crazy couponers and I was appalled at how much consumers pay for cleaning supplies without coupons!  I felt like I was getting ripped off even as I walked away paying less (and sometimes nothing) for cleaners.  A fellow coupon friend mentioned she was going to start making her own cleaners and I jumped on the bandwagon. 

How much are you saving? I haven't done the math for all the recipes, but the fact that most of the recipes use the same 5-6 ingredients that don't cost more than $3/each leads me to believe I'm making a killing!

Here's a few steps on how to get started:

• RIGHT NOW, start setting aside those empty spray bottles, laundry detergent boxes/bottles, etc.
• Do this so you don't have to buy new bottles.  Just put all purpose spray in your old all purpose spray container and you won't be confused!
• Start collecting recipes for different cleaners (mine favorites are posted at the bottom).
• As you begin to use up your own supply, replace them with your own homemade cleaner!
• I like to use a few old milk jugs and make a large batch of a recipe so I can quickly refill a bottle

Here's what you'll need:


SHOPPING LIST
Fabric softener (1-2 scents if you want different fabric refresher and dryer sheets)
White vinegar (at least a gallon)
Dawn
Washing soda
Baking soda (Biggest box you can find!)
Borax
Ivory bar soap or Fels Naptha
OPTIONAL ITEMS
Funnel - definitely handy!

CONTAINERS

3 average size spray bottles (all purpose, windex, fabric refresher)
1 small spray bottle (furniture polish)
Old dishwasher detergent box powder (dishwasher detergent) or laundry box
Laundry box (laundry detergent)
2 cup container with lid for dryer sheets
OPTIONAL ITEMS (larger quantities for refills)
3 Gallon jugs (all purpose, swiffer sol., mop sol.) (ex: milk jugs)
3 1/2 gal jug (windex, fabric refresher, fabric sheets) (ex: 1/2 gal vinegar jugs)
Microfiber cloths or diaper cloths

RECIPES
(add a few drops of essential oil to any of these for variety or if you don't like the vinegar scent.)

All purpose spray
50/50 vinegar and water
A few drops of essential oil if you can't stand the smell

Homemade Glass Cleaner
1 c. rubbing (isopropyl) alcohol
1 c. water
1 T. white vinegar

Furniture polish
1/2 t. Olive oil
1/4 c. Vinegar
Spray onto a cloth, then wipe.

Toilet cleaner (pour in the toilet and let soak overnight)
1/4 c. baking soda
1/4 c. Dawn
1/4 c. water

Dishwasher detergent
50/50 washing soda and borax
1 T. in each compartment

Rinse aid - white vinegar

Swiffer/Libman Mop Solution
1 c. Vinegar
1 gal water

Mop solution
1/8 c. Dawn
1/4 c. Vinegar
1 gal warm water

Steam Cleaner Solution
1 c. white vinegar
Hot water
2-3 drops essential oil if you can't stand the smell

Laundry detergent (DRY)
1 bar ivory soap (grated)
1 c. washing soda
1 c. Baking soda
1 c. Borax






Laundry Detergent (Liquid, NO GRATE!!)
3 T. Washing Soda
3 T. Borax
2 T. Dawn (any flavor!)
Put these ingredients in a gallon jug.  Pour 4 cups BOILING water and mix until everything is dissolved.  Let the solution cool, then fill the gallon to the top.  Use 1/2 cup for a large load and adjust accordingly.  It is cloth diaper safe, just use a lot less.

Dryer sheets and/or Fabric Refresher (4 parts softener, 10 parts water for larger quantities)
1/4 c fabric softener
2 1/2 c. Water
Cut up fabric strips (3x5, microfiber is best, but an old t-shirt will do!)
For dryer sheets, mix softener and water in a container with a lid (like an old margarine or cool whip container).  Let cloths soak in solution.  When needed, just wring it out and throw it in the dryer.  Put back in container when done and reuse!

Fabric Softener #2
Just stick 1/2 cup vinegar in the rinse cycle slot in your machine or in a fabric softener ball!

FAQs

Doesn't vinegar make your house smell?

Yeah, for like 5 minutes!  The scent of vinegar dissipates once it dries.  If you really can't stand it, just put a few drops of essential oil into your recipes.

Are these recipes safe on your furniture?

These recipes are not only safer on your stuff, but on your body as well.  I feel much better about using (mostly) natural ingredients (with the exception of Borax) on my "stuff" and around my family.  As usual, always test on a little corner before you start!

Have any other questions? Just leave a comment!

Welcome!

Aloha!
I hope you've found yourself here for the same reason I have.  You have asked yourself the same questions I do every day.  How can I save more money?

Who am I?  I am a saved and forgiven daughter of God, a proud wife of a U.S. Navy Sailor, and a mother of one (soon-to-be two) sweet little boys.  We are currently stationed in Pearl Harbor, HI (aka Paradise).  My husband and I have accumulated quite a mountain of debt due to carelessness, school loans, cars, etc.  Since I am a stay at home mom, I am not bringing in any income, so I've taken it upon myself to save where I can! In my quest to save I have discovered we are unintentionally going green.  Am I a crunchy granola, save the polar bears, vegan eating, barefoot type?  I wouldn't say yes and I wouldn't say no.  Although I do lean to the hippie mindset on occasion, I believe I'm just a regular person who eats processed food, drives a gas guzzling pickup, fat American who doesn't wear shoes. HA!  I do daydream about living on a small, sustainable farm somewhere in Texas, but that's another story.

Each week I plan to post a new tip on how to save a little green by going green.  If you have any tips or ideas to help me and other readers out there, leave a comment!