upcycling

25 Beautiful Things You Can Make With Paint Sample Cards

Max Wong — Tue, 06 Sep 2016 09:30:26 +0000

I have a love-hate relationship with interior decorating magazines. They are full of good ideas — for people with money.

Consider this advice: The cheapest way to remake a space is with paint. Yes, repainting the walls or your furniture is one of the more affordable ways to redecorate. However, I still cringe when I repeat this mantra to other budget decorators because I remember a time in my life when I was too poor to afford $60 in paint. Also, even if I had the money to repaint the places I lived in when I was a starving student (dorm rooms, my office), they didn't allow me to paint over the high gloss, Navajo White paint that covered the walls, ceilings, and moldings like a membrane of sadness.

Fortunately, there's a fantastic, free design tool available at every paint store that you can use to spiff up your lodging: paint card (or chip) samples.

In researching this story I realized that many of these projects are scalable. You can scale greeting card instructions up to make wall murals, table tops, and headboards, and scale quilt patterns down to make tiny art pieces. Use this list as a jumping off point!

1. Butterflies Are Free

Well, almost. For the cost of a butterfly stamp punch you can create a kaleidoscope of butterflies anywhere you want. (Vocabulary geeks please note that kaleidoscope is the actual collective name for a group of butterflies, I'm not just making a paint chip color pun)! Frame your paint chip butterfly collection under glass as a charming reference to the real thing, create 3-D sculptures, or use them to decorate your walls, gifts, or cupcakes.

2. Bookmarks Galore

Turn a paint chip into a gift tag or bookmark for your favorite bibliophile or design maven.

3. Channel Your Inner Jonathan Adler

I will see your Jonathan Adler tea towel, and raise you a Thanksgiving table runner, a monogrammed door placard, and this giraffe family.

4. Pantone Masterpieces

Own your own pixelated Van Gogh, Vermeer, Munch, Magritte, or da Vinci, with the help of Pantone color chips.

5. Magnets

Turn your leftover Pantone chips from your pixelated masterpiece project into magnets.

6. Give New Life to Old Needlework Patterns

Ixxi is a Dutch company that allows you to create large-scale wall art from a single image. You can get the same effects by using old cross-stitch, needlepoint, or intarsia knitting patterns and paint chips.

7. Mid-Century Modern Mosaics

Replicate your favorite midcentury public art in paper tiles. This can be a simple as recreating the rainbow pattern from your public library's bathroom to the complexity of Sir Eduardo Paolozzi's mosaic murals in the Tottenham Court Road tube station.

Broken full-length mirrors are one of my favorite things to trash pick because it's so easy to turn the frame into a custom headboard or panoramic art piece. Use the work of midcentury artists like the Akermans as inspiration for your own unique tabletops or wallpaper.

8. All Your Base Are Belong to Us

And all your paint chips too! Replicate your favorite 8-bit video game art using paint chips. What do you mean when you say that Space Invader isn't chic? Unpossible.

9. Geodesic Paper Balls

Because of their similar weight, just about any craft involving upcycling old Christmas cards can be used to upcycle paint chips. Because I am an architecture nerd, my favorite way to preserve favorite holiday cards is to turn them into these geodesic ornaments. For a video tutorial on how to make these go here.

10. Wreath

Unleash the stylist within with this paper wreath. This would make a lovely centerpiece or host gift for holiday parties.

11. Bunting

When did bunting become a thing? While I wasn't paying any attention, DIY garlands have overtaken the holiday crafting scene. And by holiday, I mean any holiday. Check out this $17.50 Halloween pennant garland you could make for much less. Or this mod Martha Stewart bunting you could use to decorate your aluminum Christmas tree. Or this candy corn bunting you could make at Thanksgiving for that one person in your life who insists that candy corn is delicious and not disgusting. Or this ombre heart garland for Valentine's Day. Or this Easter garland inspired by plastic Easter eggs.

12. Gifting

For anyone who scrapbooks, paint chips are an obvious raw material just waiting to be turned into gift tags, ribbon, and of course, cards for every occasion.

13. Change of Address Cards

Did you just finish repainting your new pad? Stamp or print your new address onto paint chips to create these clever moving announcements. Cover the back of large chips with a white sticker, then stamp, and mail like a postcard.

14. Renovation Coasters

Leftover tiles? Paint chips? Marry two common renovation leftovers into these swell coasters.

15. Decoupage

If you can make a coaster, you can decoupage a tabletop.

16. Charmed, I'm Sure

Use photographs and paint chips to create this lightweight charm necklace.

17. 3D Puzzle Animals

When I was in kindergarten, my aunt made me a set of these animals out of leftover colored plastic sheeting, but paint chips will work just as well. This site has free animal templates, but don't stop there! Show your kids the assembly technique and then let them draw their own zoo full of fantasy animals.

18. Color Matching Game

All you need to create this learning tool for toddlers are paint chips, clothespins, a hot glue gun, and scissors.

19. Hooked on Phonics!

Turn your kid's phonics lesson into a portable game with paint chip flash cards.

20. Layered Paper Art

Use this basic technique to create paper art inspired by Panamanian Molas. Or create sophisticated paper sculptures and textured wall coverings a la Maud Vantours.

21. Decorative Arrows

I'm not sure how and where I would ever use these arrows, but this project proves that you can make stylish party decorations out of the contents of your junk drawer. For extra thriftiness, I would substitute bamboo takeout chopsticks instead of paying for wood doweling.

22. Party Pinwheels

While I am not sure how I would use decorative paint chip arrows, I am totally sure that paint chip pinwheel straws will be featured props at the next house warming party I attend.

23. Mobiles

Combine ornament and bunting projects to create shockingly chic mobiles for babies and bohemians. How cute are these hot air balloons?

24. Lighting Design

Cover an ugly fixture with this glamorous paper shade.

25. Color Code for Organization

I thought I had invented a new upcycle when I used my old paint chips as labels for my file boxes. Even from across the room I know what is in every box just from the color of the paint chip! Yay organization! My feeling of genius was short lived when I found this design maven's blog. Her custom file tabs made from old paint chips make me want to run out and buy the Rolodex that I don't need.

What's better than a list? A color-coded list that also acts as a bookmark for your Filofax.

Why have a white board calendar, when you can match your dry-erase schedule to your décor?

Do you have a favorite upcycle project for paint chips? Please share your design savvy with your fellow readers in the comments below.

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This article is from Max Wong of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

8 Creative Ways to Upcycle Used Baby Furniture

Paul Michael — Wed, 27 Jul 2016 10:00:16 +0000

Every parent knows just how costly it can be to set up a nursery. From cribs and changing tables, to dressers and chairs, you can spend many thousands creating the perfect room. And then, after a few years, it's time to get rid of most of it. With safety regulations constantly changing, it may not be possible to sell used baby furniture on the secondhand market. But with a little creative thinking, you can repurpose these items. Here are eight ideas to get you started.

1. Turn a Crib Into a Kids' Workstation

Cribs can be an expensive purchase, and yet they don't serve much of a purpose beyond a few years. However, with a little creativity and ingenuity, you can turn that crib into a wonderful desk/workstation that is the perfect height for you children. This instruction guide gives you all the tips you need to create a workstation that's both attractive and functional, and reuses almost all of the crib. All you really need to purchase for the conversion is a piece of MDF or particleboard, and some blackboard paint.

2. Use the Crib Spring as a Drying Rack/Pot Rack

If you dismantle the crib and are wondering what to do with the crib spring, don't throw it out. With some chain, a few hooks, and a little paint, you can turn that boring crib spring into a drying rack for the laundry room, or a pot rack for the kitchen. Just make sure the ceiling hooks you use go into something substantial, you don't want the whole thing coming down on you.

3. That Old Changing Table Makes a Great Potting Station

The basic changing table — three shelves, the top one being used to hold a changing pad — is a functional piece of furniture for any baby room. Of course, once the toddler is out of wearing diapers, there's not much call for it. Well, the way it is set up makes it an ideal potting table. You really don't need to do much to it, other than painting it a color that matches your new set up. If you have a little more time and materials, you can add a handy hutch to the top, making the changing table into a fully functional potting station.

4. An Old Dresser Can Become a Kitchen Island

This doesn't just apply to the baby dresser, but any old dresser you have that has outlived its usefulness in the bedroom. Take an old dresser, apply a new coat of paint, and add some hooks, a paper towel holder, a stone top, and some new hardware. The result is a kitchen island that completely transforms the look and feel of the room. If you don't like stone, you could make the top of the island a butcher block. Add wheels, and it could move from kitchen to dining room, making a handy serving station.

5. Crib Sides Make Great Magazine Racks

Turn a crib on its side 90 degrees, and you suddenly have a whole lot of real estate that will hold dozens of magazines comfortably. The best part is, this is as simple as remove the side and propping it at a slight angle against the wall. Voilà, instant magazine rack. If you want something a bit more permanent, you can mount it to the wall, either at an angle, or flush (leaving enough room to let the magazines easily slide over the rails). A touch of paint can really make this one stand out as a feature on a wall.

6. Turn That Crib Mattress Into Outdoor Seating

While you're busy turning the crib into something cool, don't ignore the mattress. With a little ingenuity, you can quickly turn it into a fun and functional outdoor seating station. It can be as simple as a crib mattress cover, some old palettes, and some throw pillows. Many crib mattresses are designed to be waterproof, for obvious reasons, so they hold up well outdoors. You can also turn it into a daybed for use indoors.

7. A Changing Table Can Be Transformed Into a Bar Cart

Or a dessert trolley, if you feel the need to wheel out your impressive confections on a regular basis. However, the bar cart is a fantastic use for that old changing table, and with some wheels and a new paint job, few people will recognize it as a piece of old baby furniture. Adding a cheap accordion-style wine rack is a great finishing touch, especially if you paint it the same color as the cart.

8. Use Crib Ends to Create a Cool Chalkboard Easel

If you happen to have a crib with a solid headboard and footboard, you can quickly and easily turn them into a very cool easel for signage. Use chalkboard paint (or whiteboard material), and you can make it customizable on a daily basis, which is great for small businesses. But it's also a very handy thing to have to announce birthday parties, anniversaries, play dates, and so on.

What have you done with furniture the kids have outgrown?

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This article is from Paul Michael of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

12 Cute Ways to Upcycle Shoeboxes

Ashley Marcin — Thu, 24 Sep 2015 17:00:15 +0000

I wear shoes. You wear shoes. And you know what all these shoes come in? That's right, say it with me: shoeboxes. As it turns out, they can a do lot more than just house footwear. Check out of a few of these smart ideas, and feel free to share your own genius upcycling projects in the comments! (Related: 18 Awesome, Practically Free Upcycled Craft Projects)

1. Charging Station

This DIY recharge station will blow your mind. First, cut sections out of an old shoebox to thread your USB and other charging cables through. You'll connect these guys to a power board you'll place inside. Then spiff it up with paint and bookplates for a more finished look.

2. Wall Shelving

To add instant storage place to any room, try creating these shoebox wall shelves. Just take the bottom of the shoebox, coat it in spray paint, and use patterned paper or other accents to decorate. Of course, you can't put heavy stuff in these shelves, but they'd work great for office supplies, small personal care items, and trinkets.

3. Play Guitar

Kids will love this shoebox guitar. You'll need your box, a paper towel tube, some rubber bands, some funky paper, and basic crafting tools. After you cut a space to thread in the tube fingerboard, carve out a sound hole, you'll add the rubber band strings, and personalize it. The finished product is adorable.

4. Ultra Organizer

Or try making this shoebox organizer to keep on your desk. To get started, cut the lid off the box and save it for later. Draw a triangle on each side of the box and then cut it out. Fold everything over and use tape to secure the sides. From there, you'll make a few more cuts and attachments before covering the whole thing with pretty fabric and filling with whatever you need to organize.

5. Projector

When I first saw this project, I blurted out: "No way!" You can make a DIY projector out of a shoebox (and your smartphone) for just one dollar. All you need to do is cut a hole in the box that's big enough to accommodate a magnifying glass. Make a quick stand for your phone using a paperclip. To display your images, rotate your phone's screen, fool with focusing, and turn your brightness option all the way up.

6. Blackboard Art

Here's a project that's all about those lids. You can easily make portable blackboard art using just a couple tools to help. First, paint your shoebox lids with chalkboard paint. After it dries, draw lists, signs, art, poems, quotes, or whatever else comes to mind. I've used chalkboard paint many times, and I love how it comes in all sorts of different colors now.

7. Mini Foosball

Keep this mini foosball table in your office or give it to your kids. This project is super easy. Clip wooden laundry pins to small dowels. Use a hole punch to make holes all along the side of your shoebox. Give everything a coat of paint or cover it with cool paper. Then play until your wrists get tired.

8. Cord Organizer

Here's another take on a shoebox organizer. This project is going to help you wrangle all those rogue cords strewn about your house. Gather up a bunch of toilet paper rolls, tape them together, and place them in the box. Place once cord in each roll. Make it pretty or keep it purely utilitarian. I might just have to try this one — my phone charger recently fell prey to my cats.

9. Shoebox

Stay with me here. This project to make a windowed shoebox is written for an IKEA box. But you can easily apply the same idea to your leftover shoeboxes. Cut a rectangle in the side of the box using an X-Acto knife. Then use double-sided tape to fill that space with a sheet of PET plastic. Decorate the box however you like. Use it to store shoes, craft supplies, toys, and other small items.

10. Play Oven

I have a preschooler at home who would play with this shoebox oven for hours. You'll cut some slots in your box to accommodate a door for the pan to fit inside. Then use excess cardboard to make a pizza peel. And if you don't have a play pizza, create one out of felt with an assortment of toppings.

11. Jute Bin

Skip the storage aisle at the store and make this cute storage bin out of a box and jute. The project is written for a tissue box, but the idea is the same. Take the base of your shoebox and use glue to adhere the jute around it. Then use some canvas fabric to finish it off with a clean look. You can use it to store towels or anything else in plain sight. The cost of this project might only be a couple dollars versus the $10 or more you'd spend for something similar at the store.

12. School House

We'll end here with yet another crazy shoebox toy. Check out this school house! Cut windows out of your box using an X-Acto knife, finish off raw edges with duct tape, and take some time to make a few accessories (blackboard, posters, etc.). By the way, Lego people make perfect pupils.

What do you do with your old shoeboxes?

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This article is from Ashley Marcin of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

12 Cool Ways to Make Treasure Out of Trash

Ashley Marcin — Thu, 17 Sep 2015 15:00:24 +0000

Before you drag your garbage and recycling to the curb, read this article! There's so much you can do with an old jar, can, or cardboard box. All you need to do is clean it up and get creative. Here are 12 crafty projects that will literally turn your trash into treasures. (See also: 15 Ways to Recycle and Reuse Old T-Shirts)

1. Glass Jars

Martha Stewart shares that your discarded glass jars can be a beautiful feature in your decor. Simply rinse them out, let them dry, and then pour some dishwasher-safe enamel paint inside. Hang each bottle upside-down for at least 48 hours before using.

2. Wipes Containers

Do you have tons of wipes containers destined for recycling? I do. Try using them to make plastic bag dispensers! Clean out the wipe container, decorate it however you like, and then assemble your plastic grocery and shopping bags. Stash the dispenser in your car, in your kitchen, or wherever else you might need bags.

3. Coffee Cans

Transform all those kicked coffee cans into useful storage containers in your kitchen. Of course, you can use them whenever they end up empty. But spiff them up a bit with spray paint and chalkboard labels. First wash them in your dishwasher. Then fill with newspaper while you paint to keep the inside safe for your ingredients. Let them cure for five days before using.

4. Milk Jugs

Save one of your milk jugs to make this simple watering can. Your plants will thank you. All you do is wash out the jug, heat a needle to poke holes into the cap, and fill with water. Make a big one for outdoors, a small one for indoor plants, and a tiny one for your kid to play with in the bath.

5. Cardboard Boxes

Get a load of this cardboard storage system! This project would work well with frozen food boxes or even pizza boxes. Make sure your boxes are clean, then cover them with colorful wrapping paper. Label them for easy organization, and you're done. I'd love to store some of my favorite record albums this way.

6. Bottle Caps

I love this project to transform plastic bottle caps into alphabet magnets for your refrigerator. Collect at least 26 caps, then glue letters into them using cutouts from dated magazines. Stick some self-adhesive magnetic tape on the back and let your child go wild.

7. Toilet Paper Rolls

Save your toilet paper rolls and turn them into these adorable gift boxes. Pick off any remaining paper, flatten the roll with your hand, cut the ends into half circles with scissors, and fold the sides to close. Then decorate however suits your mood using ribbon, paint, stickers, and bows.

8. Liquor Bottles

Take an empty liquor bottle and turn it into something useful. For example, this Patron soap dispenser looks great and helps you keep your hands clean. Drill a hole into the cork top of your bottle. Then take the top off one of your old soap dispensers and thread it through the hole. Fill with soap. For bottles that don't have cork tops, try just screwing the pump into place.

9. Rice Bags

We eat lots of rice in our house. A couple years ago, I turned one of the burlap rice bags into a nifty throw pillow to decorate our family room. Just cut off the handles of the bag, stuff it with cotton filler, and close the zipper. If your bag doesn't have a zipper, simply sew it shut with a straight stitch. (See also: 7 Basic Sewing Tricks That Will Save You Money)

10. Cereal Boxes

My daughter wants a piñata for her birthday this year. I saw this mini piñata project a while back where the base is made from cereal boxes. Just use scissors and an X-acto knife to make your shape. Cover the whole thing with crepe paper, and fasten with glue and tape. Don't forget to make a trap door so you can fill it with goodies!

11. Wine Corks

I've seen a million and one different wine cork projects over the years. This bath mat may just be the most practical of the bunch. Now, you'll need some patience (or lots of vino-loving friends) to collect all 175 corks to complete this project. Cut each cork lengthwise, arrange them in a rectangle, and cut a piece of shelf liner to size. You'll then hot glue all the corks into place on the liner.

12. Juice Cartons

Corral all your change into one of these cool juice carton purses. Pull open the top of the carton and clean it out. Cut off the bottom of the container and measure for a few more precise cuts. Fold the sides in like an accordion. Then keep folding and fastening until you're done. Keep it in your car so you're never out of quarters for the meter again.

What new uses have you found for your old trash?

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This article is from Ashley Marcin of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

12 Money-Saving Tricks You Can Learn From Hipsters

Tara Struyk — Tue, 21 Oct 2014 13:00:07 +0000

Particularly if you live in a larger city, you've probably come across a few hipsters. These arty counter-culturalists tend to sport thick glasses, skinny jeans, and thrift-store inspired fashions. And, at least in the 20-30 year age group, they appear to rule. (See also: 10 of America's Awesomest Cheap Cities)

I am not one of them. I don't use an iPhone, I own absolutely no chic, nostalgic memorabilia and, rather than wearing skinny jeans and an ironic T-shirt, I'm often found wearing running spandex and compression socks — in public. I do, however, think that my outsider status allows me to have a more objective view of hipster culture, and I've noticed that when it comes to money, hipsters have some great habits.

Here are the top 12 ways hipsters stay frugal and ignore the status quo for spending.

1. Reuse Everything

Whether it's grandpa's pants, a vintage bicycle or the unicorn T-shirt your little sister used to wear, making old things new again appears to be what being a hipster is all about. (It makes affording the requisite iPhone a whole lot easier too.) (See also: 20 New Things You Can Make With Old Denim)

2. Avoid Learning to Drive

Whether they're headed to work or out to the bar, hipsters tend to choose a bicycle. These are often vintage or vintage-style fixed-gear cruisers. They get you where you want to go on the cheap, and they look perfect with a basket — all the better for carrying your groceries.

3. Go Vegetarian (Or, Better Yet, Vegan)

There seem to be two strains of hipster: those who thrive on things like bone marrow and bacon-wrapped meatloaf, and those who abstain from meat and/or all animal products. In fact, in the restaurants where hipsters tend to hang out, you'll often find an interesting mix of bacon and coconut bacon, braised pork belly and fried tempeh. Oh and almond milk. Gallons of it. For the most part, a vegetarian diet — or at least one with less meat — can be considerably less expensive, especially if you do the cooking yourself. (See also: 10 Foods With the Most Bang For Your Buck)

4. Do the Cooking

Hipsters love talking about, eating, and cooking great food. Cooking your own food — no matter how extravagant — is always cheaper and healthier than dining out. So pass the kale. Just be sure to share a photo of your latest creation on Instagram before you take the first bite.

5. Read

Reading is a classic form of hipster entertainment. Intellectual curiosity and individualism are hallmarks of hipsterhood. Reading also gives you something to talk about at parties. Plus, books are cheap, and old books look cool.

6. Listen to Newly-Emerging, Independent Music

The hippest of hipster music is played by a band no one has heard of. And since these bands are obscure, they're often dirt cheap to see live. Another thrifty tip: Buy a vinyl copy of the band's single or album and use it as art.

7. Use Social Media

Whether they're sharing a yoga selfie on Twitter or posting quotes on Tumblr, hipsters can entertain themselves for days on end with social media. And why shouldn't they? It's free!

8. Skip the Clean Shave

For hipster of the male persuasion, looking like a lumberjack every day of the week is completely acceptable, especially if that facial fur is paired with a bow tie or horn rimmed glasses (vintage of course). If you've seen the price of a pack of razorblades lately, letting that facial hair do its thing can be a real money-saver. You'll also have the honor of being referred to as "that guy with the beard" outside of hipster circles.

9. Keep Things Casual

For the ladies, while hipster style is carefully considered, it's never well-coifed. Whether long, short or in between, hipster hair is always judiciously, adorably unkempt (and often asymmetrical). That means les (or no) time at the salon. If you're having a really bad hair day, deal with it hipster-style by sporting a beanie.

10. Watch Old Movies

Hipsters love old movies like The Big Lebowski and Ferris Bueller's Day Off along with just about anything directed by Wes Anderson or starring Bill Murray. These movies aren't just fun blasts from the past — they're usually available on Netflix, which means they cost next to nothing to watch. You do have Netflix, right?

11. Get a Hobby

Whether it's photography, poetry, playing guitar or knitting, hipsters tend to have a hobby or artistic outlet. It's very hipster to devote yourself to something and be totally into it. You don't need expensive materials or formal instructions; hipsters just follow what interests them and do it, making for an inexpensive pastime. Not sure what to try your hand at? Check out this Hipster Hobby Generator for ideas.

12. Just Be Cool (Or "Deck")

Hipsters tend to eschew mass consumerism in favor of individuality. So, at least in theory, if you like something, it's cool. That purple vintage T-shirt with a wolf on it? Cool. That bizarre orange couch you found on Craigslist? Cool. Those antlers you found in your parents' garage? Cool. Your great grandma's cardigan? Cool. As long as it floats your boat, it's cool. If you follow that logic, you can live by your own rules — and your own budget. As a hipster might say, that's a totes amazeballs way to live, whether you're a hipster or not.

Anything I've overlooked? What frugal lessons have you learned from a hipster?

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This article is from Tara Struyk of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

How I Saved $30,000 and Helped the Earth at the Same Time

Max Wong — Tue, 03 Jun 2014 15:43:34 +0000

Over seven years ago, I joined The Compact out of green guilt (and because everything I do in my life has to be a dare).

In brief, The Compact is an environmental movement that challenges members to step away from the consumer grid and take as few new resources out of the planet as possible for one calendar year. Compactors pledge to buy only used goods for twelve months, with obvious exceptions for things like food and health care products.

I've stayed with The Compact for longer than one year because, in addition to allowing me to live closer to my environmental values, it's also a super fun challenge.

As it turns out, The Compact is also a massive money saver.

This week's horrible personal project is purging the filing cabinet. I have gone through all sorts of boring paperwork, fiddling with old receipts. Along the way, I've also been doing a little math (always a dangerous thing for me) and discovered that my effort to save the planet has saved me at least $30,000. $30,000! That savings is spread over 7.5 years, but still. $30,000! And that's a conservative estimate.

Here are 22 ways I saved at least $30,000 while also saving the planet.

1. I Make Every Effort to Buy Only Used Goods

Since I happen to like vintage clothes, old houses, and classic cars, only buying used goods is hardly deprivation — it's my aesthetic. That said, about once a year, I'll get dinged financially for buying used. For example, I could have bought a new, cheap pair of boots for less than the price I paid to resole my old ones. However, for most purchases, buying used is far cheaper than buying new.

2. I Spend Consciously

I can no longer shop without intention. When I buy something, I don't just think about how I will use that item, but how I will eventually dispose of it. This extra environmental awareness saves me a lot of money, because I can't unlearn my good shopping habits and go back to the days of mindless spending. The extra bit of inconvenience sourcing used versions of everything I want also gives me time to consider how badly I need something. Is it something I really need or can I get by with something I already own?

3. I Shrank My Living Space

One of the fastest ways I shrank my carbon footprint was to share my house with other people. When I lived alone in my 1000 square foot house, I took up all 1000 square feet. I also paid for the entire mortgage. While living alone was something I considered an adult achievement, having roommates, renting my house out as a B&B, and ultimately moving in with my husband have all saved me money and helped lighten the load on the planet.

4. I Cut My Car Use to Under 5000 Miles a Year

To a lot of city folk I know, this doesn't sound impressive. But in Los Angeles, a gigantic metropolis, with iffy public transit, this is a huge challenge. My rule? If the destination is less than three miles from my house on surface streets, I have to walk or bike instead of getting in the car. In addition to cutting my gas costs by more than half, I also saved money on tire replacement, car servicing, and insurance. Also, because I now walk anywhere from three to 10 miles daily, I was able to cut my $40 a month gym membership.

5. I Bought a Used Car

As much as I'd love a gas-sipping Prius, the resource cost of creating a new car is much greater than the resources I will use to drive and keep up the 1989 Volvo station wagon my husband and I just bought from a friend for $3500. It's hard to see on the surface, but an old gas-guzzler, driven less often, can be lighter on the planet than the creation of a brand new car. Also, to quote my mechanic, "You cannot buy a new car of this quality for $3500."

I should note, too, that my parent's first generation Prius just died after 200,000 miles, and there is no way repair the hybrid engine. 200,000 miles on a Volvo 240 is nothing. Our other car is a Volvo 240 sedan that is still rolling strong after almost 400,000 miles of driving.

6. I Realized That Car Preservation Was Smarter Than Car Repair

My husband's Polish relatives drive "The Machine," the name they gave to their Iron Curtain-era compact automobile because it is so lacking in amenities. The Machine is in its 4th decade but still running smoothly because the family treats the car like it's the only car they will ever own. (And it is.) They do everything from driving the speed limit to regularly washing The Machine (to maintain its original 1970's paint job) to ensure that they put as little wear and tear on the car as possible. It's preventative medicine for automobiles.

I used to drive, everywhere, like the cops where chasing me. Now I drive like an old lady. It's annoying to my speed-demon friends, but it saves wear and tear on my car and gives me superior gas mileage.

7. I Pay Attention to My Tire Pressure

The average driver who drives 12,000 miles a year on under-inflated tires uses an extra 144 gallons of gas and adds an additional 2880 pounds of green house gases to the environment annually!

Properly inflating my tires saves me about $240 a year in gasoline costs, but it also extends the life of my tires. Under-inflation causes more rolling resistance, which adds substantially more wear and tear to the tires. This is also a safety hazard. A badly timed blow-out can kill.

8. I Became a Black Belt Composter

Dirty cardboard food containers cannot be recycled. However, the greasy pizza box, the butter wrappers, the take-out containers, and the wax paper from the cheese can all be put into the compost as the "brown" ingredient. In addition to dramatically cutting down on food related trash, the resulting light and fluffy compost is the perfect amendment for my clay garden soil, adding both nutrients and friability. Better soil equals a more productive garden. Beyond the food savings of a victory garden, using my homemade compost has saved me several hundred dollars in fertilizer and soil amendment costs.

9. I Mulched The Yard

California is in the middle of a severe drought. As a result, our water bill is sky high. To suppress weeds and keep our garden soil moist, I first laid down a layer of "liquor store mulch," aka flattened cardboard boxes procured for free from my corner liquor store. For the delivery cost of $30, the stables at my local racetrack were more than happy to supply me with an entire truckload of wood chips and horse poop as a garden topcoat. Not only did this organic buffer cut the amount of water used in the garden by 50%, three years later we are still enjoying the results. The cardboard and topcoat have composted down to rich topsoil, and we have 90% fewer weeds.

10. I Got Hardcore About Wastewater

Because fresh water is becoming scarcer and more expensive with each passing year, I am constantly on the hunt for more ways to save water. One major component of this is recycling my waste water. Sadly, my home and yard is poorly configured to use the gray water from my washing machine. That said, I've gotten into the habit of cleaning my floors and my car with buckets of leftover bathwater, and watering my ornamental plants with leftover dishwater.

11. I Started Using Homemade Cleansers

Reusing my gray water got me thinking about how I clean my house. If a cleanser was too poisonous to pour into my garden, isn't it also too poisonous to pour down the drain leading to the ocean? Cleaning with baking soda and white vinegar, or removing the soap scum out of my bathtub with table salt and a grapefruit rind, is not only less toxic than any of the commercial cleansers, it is also far cheaper. (See also: How to Clean Everything With Just 3 All-Natural Cleaners)

12. I Bought a Small (Used) Refrigerator

Every new home now seems to feature double wide, French door refrigerators. Unless you have a gigantic family, it is impossible to eat through 20+ cubic feet of food before it goes bad. This leads to poor shopping and eating habits.

When shopping for a refrigerator, read the fine print on the energy usage. There are many smaller refrigerators that don't get an Energy Star rating but use less energy than the bigger refrigerators that do.

Also, refrigerators and freezers run more efficiently when they are full rather than empty. Why pay extra to cool unused space? Consider ignoring the signage inside the fridge and arrange your food in the most space-saving way (like using the crisper drawer for canned drinks instead of vegetables), using every nook and cranny. My small refrigerator enforces smart shopping habits and saves me money on my energy bill all year long. (See also: 8 Ways to Make Your Fridge Last Forever)

13. I Exorcised the Phantom Load and the Vampire Draw From My Home

Here's a terrible secret: Many modern appliances leak energy even when they are turned off. The Dust Buster, the phone charger, the video game console…I love them, but they were sucking up $20 a month in electricity while I slept. Those little monsters. To combat phantom load, I plugged my entertainment system into a power strip and then I put the power strip on a timer. From 2 a.m. to 8 a.m., the TV, the DVD player, and the game consoles get switched off automatically at the plug. All other small electronics are unplugged manually and religiously when they are not in use.

14. I Became a Beekeeper

Beekeeping, unlike gardening, takes up very little space. I know over a hundred yard-less, urban beekeepers who keep bees on their tiny balconies, on the rooftops of their office buildings, or at community gardens. Honeybees increase the yield of gardens by 30% to 60%. This dramatic increase in productivity is an obvious money saver for the home gardener. More produce for less work!

Since bees are in decline all over the world, giving a safe home to pollinators is good for the planet. My new skill set also gave me two more revenue streams: selling honey and doing live bee removal from public buildings and peoples' private homes. Keeping bees is a fascinating hobby job, and I learn something new about beekeeping every day. That said, the youngest member of my local bee club is five years old and the oldest is 96. It's an activity that people of all ages can learn and enjoy.

15. I Learned How to Preserve Food

Canning is the new knitting. And, as with knitting, canning is a fake frugal activity if you are paying retail for your supplies. Canning really only saves money if you are preserving surplus produce. Even though I have my own garden, I have yet to grow enough food that I can't eat it all myself.

When I learned to can, instead of buying fruit for jam at the store, I put a want ad on my local Freecycle group for surplus fruit. I got an insane response from my neighbors. The first year, I collected over 2000 pounds of free fruit. In exchange for gleaning privileges, I give my fruit-donating neighbors a jar of every new batch of preserves. My neighbors love being members of my Jam of the Month Club, and I've met so many new friends this way.

Because I have access to so much free produce, I've started canning the surplus to sell and barter. I trade my jam with my neighbor for eggs and fresh poultry. I also make several hundred dollars a year selling my preserves at local craft fairs.

Beyond my own grocery savings, making homemade preserves has saved me hundreds of dollars on gift purchases. People make birthday jam requests now!

After the ingredients, the next most expensive aspect of canning is the jars. New jelly jars cost $1 each. I accidentally fell into a free source of canning jars last year when my friends got married. Apparently, the new trend in frugal summer weddings is to use eight-ounce jelly jars instead of buying or renting glassware for the wedding. After the wedding party, my friends offered to give me the dirty jars for free. For the cost of elbow grease I got 340 jars with new, unused lids, my friends had one less thing to deal with after the wedding, and the reusable jars stayed out of the waste stream for that much longer.

It's old-fashioned etiquette to return jars to the cook when you finish eating the jam. My customers actually love this green aspect of my business, and I get about a 30% return rate of jars every year.

16. I Decided to Take Bottle and Can Recycling Seriously

Los Angeles has the largest recycling program in the country. I used to just throw my bottles and cans into the recycling bin without another thought. It's so easy. But then I realized that my laziness was costing me about $300 a year in easy money!

While recycling for money versus letting the city recycle for money had a net impact of zero on the environment, the time spent dropping off bottles and cans at the recycling center myself pays for one entire month of water and power. For me, this is a huge deal.

17. I Became a Hard Core Trash Picker

Last week I made $120 at a garage sale. Most of the merchandise I'd found on the curb while walking through the neighborhood on trash day. I kept fifty items out of the waste stream for a little longer by literally selling garbage back to my neighbors.

18. I Moved The Cats Indoors

Our two cats used to be indoor/outdoor cats. Although the cats loved the freedom, the injuries that they sustained from running around outside were costing upwards of $800 a pop at the vet.

The most obvious way to save on medical costs and medical waste is to stay in good health. Veterinary waste might be smaller than human medical waste, but just like at the people version of ER, very few medical supplies at an animal hospital can be recycled or reused legally. All the tubes, syringes, and medications are single use items, and even washable equipment uses a lot of resources to keep clean.

Although the cats still lurk by the door, hoping they can sneak outside without me noticing, I am resolute in my decision to keep them indoors. The average lifespan of an indoor cat is 12 years, while outside cats often live less than five.

19. I Split the Cost of Tools With My Friends

I share a china pattern with my brother-in-law. I share a weed whacker with my friend Laura. I share luggage with my sister. I share a Cuisinart with my neighbor Alexandra. Why do I need to buy and store an entire set of tools that aren't in constant, daily use when I can split the cost and the storage space with other people?

20. I Stopped Eating Meat During the Week

Eating a vegetarian diet is an easy way to live light on the planet and light on my body. My husband and I eat meat twice a week, usually when we are dining out with friends. Eating meat is now an event for us, which is how it was for humankind for most of history. Monday through Friday we eat vegetarian meals. Cutting out meat during the week has allowed us to spend more money on organic produce and dry goods. As part-time vegetarians, we actually eat better quality food, and still have money left over to eat dinner at a restaurant twice a week.

21. I Reuse Paper Before I Recycle

American businesses throw away 175 pounds of paper per worker per year. Even though I run my business from my home, it would take me over a decade to use that amount of paper as I make an effort to use both sides of every sheet of paper that crosses my desk.

In addition to making double-sided printing the default setting on my printer, I save myself a lot of hassle and misprinted documents by carefully labeling my printer, so I know exactly how to insert paper, envelopes, and labels for perfect print outs every time.

I never use virgin paper as scratch paper.

I can get two extra uses out of used envelopes! First, I like to write grocery lists on the back of used envelopes. That way I can store my coupons inside for easy access while I'm shopping. Once both sides of an envelope are used, I carefully pull apart the envelope and refold it inside out for reuse a third, or even fourth time! A little glue stick is all that's needed to glue everything back together.

22. I Use Second Hand Packing Material

I sell a lot of vintage goods on Etsy and a lot of books on half.com. I get all of my padded envelopes for shipping books and records from my local college radio station. College radio stations, with their eclectic music programming, receive hundreds of CDs and records from musicians and record labels for play on air every month. If you don't have this type of radio station in your area, think of what local businesses might receive a lot of packing material they aren't reusing. It never hurts to ask.

My go-to source for small, heavy-duty boxes is my local hardware store. Hardware stores have a huge variety of boxes of all shapes and sizes because their merchandise selection is so broad. Every day, the owner of my local mom-and-pop hardware store puts all the unwanted cardboard boxes next to the dumpster in their back parking lot. The hardware store pays less for trash pickup, and my neighbors and I get the pick of free storage and shipping containers.

Has anyone else had this sticker shock, but in a good way?

What do-gooder things for the environment did you do that ended up saving you a lot of money? Please share in comments.

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This article is from Max Wong of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

From Dumpster Diving to Garage Sales, Turning Trash Into Cash

Max Wong — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 10:00:35 +0000

Last year I made over $1,200 off of other people’s garbage. But then, I'm serious about reusing and recycling. I'm not afraid to yell, "Stop the car! That's good garbage!" in a crowded intersection. (See also: The Compact: Mindfullness and Frugality Through Buying Used)

Some of the garbage I find is actual money. Every year I manage to pick up around $20 in change off the ground. My favorite places to find lost change are in front of the counter at the post office and under the CoinStar machine at the grocery store. Last year I got lucky and actually found a $20 bill on the street, so my found money total rose to $44.03.

I don’t know what makes pennies not real currency in the eyes of so many people. A penny saved really is a penny earned, but a penny found is a penny that isn’t taxed. Do I even spend ten minutes a year bending over to pick up an average of $20 in small change? You would think that most Americans, especially in this economy, would be stoked to do an activity that pays $120 an hour. But no. Even total strangers laugh at me when I lean down to pick up coins off the ground. Yep, I am so embarrassed that the $44.03 I found bought a very nice dinner for my husband and me.

Bottles and Cans Are as Good as Cash

Although Los Angeles has the largest recycling program in the nation, and bottles and cans are redeemable for cash, I was still able to recycle $340 worth of glass and plastic bottles and aluminum cans that I picked up off the street. $120 of that $340 came from one alcoholic neighbor who decided that throwing her wine bottles onto the parkway from her window was easier than walking them to her recycling bin. Sadly, I don’t think that my neighbors are particularly terrible litterbugs. Many students at my local universities appear to have problems putting their recyclables into a recycling container, even when the container is right next to the trash. Classroom trashcans are full of plastic water bottles and Red Bull cans.

For me, $340 seems like big money for bringing a box of recyclables to the grocery store every week, but I am not even Junior Varsity when it comes to recycling income. There’s a family in Los Angeles who put three of their kids through college with the money they earned collecting cans.

Found Textbooks Are Educational (and Redeemable)

Speaking of college, I live within walking distance of one university, work at another one night a week, and am a student at a third. Last year, I earned $468 from selling back textbooks I’d pulled out of the dumpsters at school. This paid for my tuition and my textbooks for my Italian classes. My education was paid for with garbage.

Found Objects Are Garage Sale Inventory

Last year I made over $400 selling things I’d found on the street on Craigslist and at garage sales. I paid for my wedding ($159) with the earnings of one garage sale. This is hardly my greatest feat of trash picking. I paid for two entire years of my life by collecting stuff that my neighbors had curbed on trash day — and selling the stuff back to them at monthly garage sales. While my monthly expenses during 1996 and 1997 were only $1,000 a month, that’s still $24,000 I made at my part-time trash picking “job.”

Depending on the laws regarding trash pickup and garage sales in your area, my success may or may not be achievable everywhere. Some cities like West Hollywood, California cap the number of garage sales a household can have each year, while other municipalities prohibit “dumping” usable items on the curb. Check the laws in your area so you don't get saddled with a hefty fine.

Keeping What You Find

In addition to making money from the cast-offs of others, I also save around $1,000 a year by reusing items that are destined for the dump.

University Finds

At the end of every school year, university dumpsters are full of everything from textbooks to clothes to electronics — items deemed too inconvenient or too expensive to ship home. While I have yet to get up early enough to nab a last generation iPod or mini fridge like my neighbors have, I rarely pay for laundry detergent and can’t remember the last time I spent money on a spiral notebook, manila folder, mailing envelope, or three ring binder. School dumpsters are full of half used cleaning supplies and stationery products. Some schools like NYU actually have a garbage amnesty day that encourage community recycling, so if you live in a college town, check into your school’s end of the year trash picking policy.

Hardware Store and Nursery Finds

My local hardware store is my shipping box supplier. Hardware stores carry a lot of heavy products that come in sturdy, tiny to small cardboard boxes that are the perfect size for shipping etsy sale items. Since the hardware store has to pay for trash collection and recycling per dumpster, the owner encourages people to take the boxes by stacking them neatly by the back door. I get a steady stream of cardboard boxes (one less thing that I have to hoard in my house), and the store gets a lower garbage bill.

One of the local plant nurseries has a similar policy with their pony packs — those segmented plant containers that hold four to six seedlings. Apparently it’s cheaper to trash the entire pony pack if just one of the plants is dead or missing, rather than going to the trouble of replanting the plants in single containers or putting the pack on sale. Unlike the big box stores, which chop up the plants before throwing them in the garbage, ensuring that everyone and the planet gets screwed, the local nursery puts the “damaged” pony packs by the dumpster in the back alley every Sunday night before closing. There is a dedicated group of frugal gardeners that show up at 5:05 pm every week to divvy up the plants. Since I don’t mind growing mystery vegetable and flower varieties, this is a great way to get free landscaping and food.

The 2012 trash to treasure project that I am most proud of was using wood that I harvested from a damaged dresser, to make a shelf for my vintage armoire.

Are you a trash picker? Why or why not? What’s the best thing you’ve ever found in the garbage?

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This article is from Max Wong of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

18 Awesome, Practically Free Upcycled Craft Projects

Max Wong — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 10:36:37 +0000

I like to make stuff.

I sew or knit a lot of my own clothes. I cook from scratch. I try to only give handmade gifts. But, because I am on an itty bitty budget, I am constantly on the hunt for ways to reduce the cost of my crafting habit. Seriously, if you look at my checkbook it looks like I have a drug habit. All my money goes to La Knitterie Parisienne. I spend more money for yarn than I pay for gas every year. And I live in Los Angeles. Making stuff by hand can be wildly expensive. (See also: 25 Gifts You Can Make Today)

One of the easiest ways to cut craft costs is to source inexpensive supplies. My favorite source of free supplies happens to be the recycling bin in my house. In addition to providing me with free supplies, by upcycling craft materials from the waste stream, I’m doing the environment a favor.

Well, okay, I’m doing the environment a favor if my finished craft is actually a beautiful and functional item. As my friend Katy, who blogs regularly about treasures (and trash) she finds at Goodwill says, "Just because you can glue glass floral pebbles on something, doesn’t mean you should." Garbage with some glitter glued on it is still garbage.

When I’m trying to decide whether or not an upcycled craft project is worth my time, I ask myself three questions:

Would I love getting this item as a gift?
Is it something I would definitely use?
Can it replace something I would pay money for?

If the answer to all three of these questions is yes, then I know that the project is worth my time. However, since any type of crafting involves some level of hoarding — I mean collecting — I also ask myself a fourth question:

Will I generate more trash in the process of upcycling this item than if I just threw it away or donated it?

What follows are 21 upcycling projects that recently made it through my selection process.

1. Upcycled Egg Carton Wreath

I made a similar egg carton wreath with my mother when I was in pre-school. Instead of tempura paint we used the cheap watercolor paints that come in the plastic palette box. If you don’t have a glue gun, regular old Elmer’s glue works just fine. You can get remarkably sophisticated results from the humblest supplies.

2. Coasters From Woven Magazine Pages

When I travel, I collect foreign language magazines, maps, and cardboard packaging.

Newspapers and maps get recycled into wrapping paper, cardboard packaging gets cut into postcards, and ephemera like museum tickets get laminated and turned into luggage tags, bookmarks, and placemats. I like these woven coasters because they are a good way to use up magazine pages that aren’t visually that interesting, are a good travel craft that can be assembled while waiting at the airport or train station (just fold and tear the pages instead of using scissors), and are cheap to ship home.

3. Corrugated Cardboard Lamp

Instructables.com is a great resource for upcycled projects. I am going to use their instructions for this cardboard lamp to make a nightlight scratching post for my cats. (I’m replacing the bulb with LED tea lights for fire safety).

4. Plastic Toys Transformed

You don’t even need to know German to understand these instructions on how to turn a small plastic toy into a chic pendant or watch fob. This is a good way to use that lone army man or plastic circus animal you found hiding behind the sofa.

And this $1 plastic dinosaur toy plus succulents becomes Upcyclasaurus Rex.

5. Eccentric English Grandma To-Do List

Yes. I know this tea bag shopping list looks vaguely hoardy bag lady, but as a heavy duty tea drinker, I’m so happy to have found a way to reuse tea bag wrappers before I recycle them.

6. Cavity-Free Christmas Light Shades

I started buying Tom’s of Main toothpaste because it was the only toothpaste that was still sold in metal, recyclable tubes. So I was really disappointed when Tom’s switched to plastic tubes a few years ago. Luckily, the recycling geniuses over at Terracycle have figured out a way to turn plastic toothpaste tubes into cute, flower-shaped shades for holiday lights.

7. Upcycled Travel Art Kit

I usually recycle DVD cases by bringing them to my local video store for reuse, but this upcycled mobile sketch pad and pencil case is pretty slick.

8. Custom Jigsaw Puzzles

Are you tired of your old puzzles?

Spray paint over the design and then redraw your own. Or make a two-sided puzzle by creating a new design on the back of a puzzle.

I've been pricing custom photo puzzles as a gift idea for my mother-in-law. Instead of paying $75, I am going to enlist the youngest grandkid to help me convert an old 2000 piece puzzle that I already own into a truly brag-worthy piece of kid art.

9. Secret Book Safe

Where do you stash your secret book safe? On your book bookshelf, of course.

10. Citrus Peel Starter Pots

Before you compost your citrus peels, put them to work nurturing seedlings.

11. Old Slide Glass Windows

Transform old slides into a modern "stained glass" window treatment. I don’t know if this will keep out nosey neighbors or create them.

12. CD Spindle Bagel or Cable Holder

Keep your sandwich from getting squished in your bag. Turn a CD spindle into a sandwich keeper.

Or use one to store and organize cables. (The CD spindle. Not the sandwich).

13. Suitcase Toolbox

No garage? Organize your tools in vintage suitcases as a cute storage alternative. No one knows that my grandmother’s old train case is really my sewing kit.

14. Plastic Spoon Mirror Frame

Martha Stewart Living has nothing on Marie Claire Idées, the French DIY decorating magazine. This mirror’s mid-century mod frame is made from spray painted plastic spoons that are affixed to the inexpensive mirror with epoxy glue specifically designed for glass.

15. Friendship Rug

Did you ever make friendship bracelets at summer camp? Well, you can make a giant rug or table runner version out of old bed sheets.

16. Party Favor Gift Tubes

My goddaughter is hosting a tea party to celebrate her confirmation in May. I’m saving up toilet paper tubes to reuse as little gift boxes for party favors. I’m overly pleased that this project will help me use up all my leftover doilies and paper flowers from Valentine’s Day, too.

17. Fabric Covered Hangers

No more wire hangers! Even Mommy Dearest would love these fabric covered wire hangers, but don't mention that the fabric is upcycled old t-shirts.

18. Weensy Photo Fridge Magnets

I’ve always loved miniatures, so these tiny "Polaroid" magnets are right up my alley. This tutorial includes a downloadable Photoshop template for the Polaroid frames, but these could easily be replicated with just a ruler and matte knife.

What’s so great about this project is that you can customize this idea for gifts that are personal and easy to ship. I’m going to make a set of these for my mom and my mother-in-law for Mother’s Day. These would also make a super cute wedding gift.

OK, I will admit that this is one of those times that my insane hoarding of craft supplies pays off. Instead of buying adhesive backed magnet tape at the craft store, I am going to use the business card magnets I keep getting in the mail from various local businesses and real estate agents for this project.

Do you think upcycled crafts are worth the time and effort? What upcycled craft project would you recommend to others? What's your biggest upcycling fail? Share your genius in the comments section.

This article is from Max Wong of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread: