MY tax refund is going to be used 100% towards paying off a debt, all of it State and Federal. Pay raises get treated the same except I use a portion of it to increase my 401k withholding. 10 Years ago I probably would have done what you have described but I hope that time and age have taught me better!
Use a steel water bottle, use cloth towels instead of paper towels (whenever possible), and recycle plastic grocery bags, plastic bottles, and aluminum cans.
My mother was the "queen of stain removal". People always used to comment that the fresh, clean smell of our clothes on the breeze was wonderful. She used a wringer washer with powder Tide, Blue Downey, and a pink value softener mix. Clorox only in the dishcloths and dishtowels, underwear, white socks, white pillowcases and facecloths. Everything was airdried.
Bras were always hand washed and hung to dry
She had a soft worn toothbrush for working stains with the remover.
White Rain original shampoo was great at getting blood and urine stains out of laundry and mattresses. Peroxide on fresh blood on white clothes worked perfect.
Dawn dish washing detergent on food stains works like magic.
Lemon Juice and salt placed on rust stains and placed in the sun then laundered worked great.
WD 40, Joy dishwashing liquid, and the hottest water on melted crayons was a life saver. If it was too set, then the clothes were rags anyway.
A paste of powdered dishwasher detergent and water rubbed onto grass stains and left to set 1/2 hour and then laundered in the hottest water with detergent.
If kool-ade stains got the best of her, a tied dyed shirt with permanent markeers and denatured alcohol was the solution.
To get your whites their whitest used liquid bluing and follow instructions.
Of course take into account these are from formulas of products over 30 years ago. Formulas have changed and materials are flimsier so use your judgment. If the item is stained you most likely would have tossed into the rag bag. You may get lucky and find it works.
Mildew on whites very seldom happened, but a q-tip dipped in chlorox and then laundered and laid on the grass in a hot direct sun worked most times.
Lestoil on greasy work clothes laundered in hot water worked great.
I have started an experiment of my own. I have used a recipe for homemade laundry detergent found on line. My clothes smell fresh and clean, not perfumey. (however, I have added some laundry frangrance enhancers to the soap mixture) I am liking it so far. $27.00 for a supposed supply that will last a family of 4 for quite some time. I use 2T per load and soften with white vinegar. I have a front loading he washer. No odors or residue left in the machine or dispenser.
I have always hung my clothes to dry, but have given into drying towels if the weather does not permit. I have learned to keep an eye on the weather before hanging clothes in the morning.
If he put that money into stocks, investments or startups he'd have a much more realistic reason to believe his life won't be the same...
That's the problem with lotteries. It's WORSE than useless. It promises no likelihood of return while sucking away dollars people could invest better elsewhere.
I recycle as much as possible (paper, cardboard, plastic, glass, aluminum, etc.) I also print on both sides of sheets of paper, or use old documents as scratch paper if one side is still unused. I try not to buy things until I need them. I turn off lights, electronics, and appliances when I leave the room. I also have a pretty fuel-efficient car.
I personally like to make spicy tuna brown rice rolls from canned/pouch tuna. Mayo + Frank's Wing sauce + green onion + tuna, a little cucumber, maybe avocado if I have it, 1/2 c brown rice, roll it all up in some seaweed and serve with miso soup and edamame. MMM!
CFL Bulbs, hang laundry to dry, keep water heater at low setting, have recycled carpet, refurbish furniture instead of buying new, grow my own garden, pick up cans and bottles at work for recycling, make my own coffee, use cruise control on my 36mpg car, don't water my lawn, wash my car with a spray bottle, shower every other day, use energy efficient setting for laundry, soak dishes in bowl, don't use dishwasher, wear clothing twice before washing, compost, use push mower, not gas powered, never buy new clothes, use vinegar and baking soda to clean-no harsh chemicals, use coconut butter as lotion instead of petro chemically made lotion, etc. etc. etc. I'm a green machine!
Buy used. Use things up or wear them out. Recycle and up cycle. Moderate heating and cooling. Solar lighting. Combining errand trips. Take public trans when possible. Organic garden. Turn off the water when brushing my teeth.
You've touched on a HUGE problem. The FTC recently announced that more than 20 million Americans are victimized by scams similar to this. In fact, they recently issued a warning, saying ordinary Americans should check their phone bills for these types of cramming charges and should protest these immediately. In the meantime, the FTC is cracking down harder on these types of grey charges, although -- as with any type of federal crackdown -- it may take awhile before the results take effect.
I don't want to post a link in a comment -- I realize that's impolite and is seen as spammy -- but I do genuinely think that this is a relevant link that readers might be interested in. (Feel free to delete it if this is inappropriate) -- https://www.billguard.com/blog/2013/02/what-are-cramming-charges/
Bebing green, to me, isn't about being fanatical, frugal or hugging a tree. It's all about common sense... which ultimately leads me to actually being frugal. As a retiree, my hubby and I chose to move to Panama, leaving behind family and friends but allowing us more freedom and breathing room with our fixed retirement funds. While not everything here is cheaper than the U.S., our lifestyle is much improved and greener as well.
We live in a much smaller house and live mostly outside on one of two terraces. We don't have to heat the house because "hey, this is the tropics." We've found that as we've adjusted to the local climate, we use fans instead of air conditioning... only using the air conditioner to cool the bedroom prior to sleep. We are close enough to town to walk to everything so the car sits alot. A tank of gas can last me 6 weeks instead of six days. I only drive to the city once every 3 or 4 months to take advantage of PriceMart... purchasing in bulk things that are used frequently. I take a Tamar Adlar approach to cooking... the water used to cook broccoli, cauliflower, etc becomes the base for tomorrow's luncheon soup. I do the bulk of my shopping once a month, with a list that I stick to. If the carrots look good, then I'll buy several pounds and roast them along with whatever else is in season. My vegetables don't go bad... it's quicker to cook dinner... and I only turn on the oven once for multiple cooking projects. I make cookie dough and freeze it and when I know the oven will be in use, I finish it up with warm cookies. I use a good faucet filter so no bottled water. With all the fresh fruit growing around, there are healthy smoothies every day and iced tea... no soda. I make most of our cleaning products. Not because of cost(although it does save money) but because I find them to be more effective and don't endanger our health. I make several of my own beauty products as well. Jars are reused and I know exactly what I'm putting on my skin. My husband is very good and creative at revitalizing anything that's broken... those kind of things that most people would toss and replace. I've learned to utilize the things and products that are around me instead of paying dearly for items to be ordered and sent here. The actual cost is astronomical but it also saves that product taking up space on a plane or ship as well as the fuel involved. As an avid book lover, I never thought I'd depart from my beloved bound paper. But books don't hold up well in the tropics. So rather than purchase a Kindle, I simply downloaded the Kindle app onto my laptop and get books, mostly free. I read at least 2 books a week and truthfully, haven't missed the paper. As someone who has been involved in alternative medicine for many years, I'm delighted to find so many plants, trees and herbs here that I can take advantage of. Instead of paying for a 1 ounce bottle of a healing tincture, I can make a quart at a time, usually just for being nice and talking to someone who has a guanabana tree in their back yard. That wouldn't work for everyone, but it's wonderfully green for us. We haven't returned to the states in 3+ years... we don't miss the consumer driven frenzy... nor the compulsive/impulsive buying that U.S. marketing imposes upon the people. We are very capable of making green decisions that help us and our community. We enjoy and delight in our ability to do what we feel is right for us... it is not a chore nor is it an actual choice. It is the lifestyle we've chosen.
Regarding the Citi Spirit companion passes, there appears to be about a $40-50 premium booking with Spirit. That is to say the "free" companion pass will cost you $40-50, which is not as bad a deal as this blog makes out.
Recycling, shopping mostly at thrift stores/yard sales, monitoring water usage, cooking from scratch, buying in bulk, turning leftovers into second (and third!) meals, recycling ink cartridges, using cloth napkins, fixing items instead of throwing them away, foraging wild or gone-wild fruit for jam and freezing, turning worn-out clothes into cleaning rags, writing letters on backs of old printouts, bringing my own grocery bags, hanging all laundry to dry, use LED bulbs.
My new partner and I keep the thermostat between 60 and 65 degrees (even during an Alaska winter). We have started a compost bin and will be gardening this summer: some to eat fresh, some to store for winter. He plans to build a greenhouse in the near future.
I have been using the same flip phone for five years and the same computer for more than three years. When I moved in he built an ergonomically friendly computer stand for me out of scrap wood.
Green isn't just eco-friendly. It's one giant frugal hack.
Why has no one mentioned Crystal Light Energy? Buying it from Wal-Mart gets you $0.002 per mg of caffeine! It's great, you can mix it strong or weak to meet your needs and take it with you anywhere as it's just powdered.
I switched to all cfl lightbulbs a couple of years ago, which made a huge difference in our electric bill. We recently installed low-flush toilets and low flow shower heads to save on water. We are currently planning to replace our old leaky windows with energy efficient ones. Anything we replace in the house, we try to get a more energy efficient version.
Last night I took half a spaghetti squash out of my fridge (had already trimmed and removed seeds when I did the first half like, two weeks ago), cooked it in the microwave for 13 minutes, scraped it out and tossed with some peanut sauce and stuck it in the fridge. Also grabbed a handful of shrimp from the freezer to thaw overnight. Cooked the shrimp in a little sesame oil this morning (took all of 5 minutes), tossed in with the squash from last night, and lunch is ready to go.
I see you are from NYC. If you go to Chipotle and get their Veggie bowl (salad or burrito bowl) - it is easy to make... most of the ingredients like salsa or sour cream can be bought off shelf for less .. rice + beans is easy = mix them all. That was my lunch for today. I was also too tired of the Sammy routine.
MY tax refund is going to be used 100% towards paying off a debt, all of it State and Federal. Pay raises get treated the same except I use a portion of it to increase my 401k withholding. 10 Years ago I probably would have done what you have described but I hope that time and age have taught me better!
Use a steel water bottle, use cloth towels instead of paper towels (whenever possible), and recycle plastic grocery bags, plastic bottles, and aluminum cans.
My mother was the "queen of stain removal". People always used to comment that the fresh, clean smell of our clothes on the breeze was wonderful. She used a wringer washer with powder Tide, Blue Downey, and a pink value softener mix. Clorox only in the dishcloths and dishtowels, underwear, white socks, white pillowcases and facecloths. Everything was airdried.
Bras were always hand washed and hung to dry
She had a soft worn toothbrush for working stains with the remover.
White Rain original shampoo was great at getting blood and urine stains out of laundry and mattresses. Peroxide on fresh blood on white clothes worked perfect.
Dawn dish washing detergent on food stains works like magic.
Lemon Juice and salt placed on rust stains and placed in the sun then laundered worked great.
WD 40, Joy dishwashing liquid, and the hottest water on melted crayons was a life saver. If it was too set, then the clothes were rags anyway.
A paste of powdered dishwasher detergent and water rubbed onto grass stains and left to set 1/2 hour and then laundered in the hottest water with detergent.
If kool-ade stains got the best of her, a tied dyed shirt with permanent markeers and denatured alcohol was the solution.
To get your whites their whitest used liquid bluing and follow instructions.
Of course take into account these are from formulas of products over 30 years ago. Formulas have changed and materials are flimsier so use your judgment. If the item is stained you most likely would have tossed into the rag bag. You may get lucky and find it works.
Mildew on whites very seldom happened, but a q-tip dipped in chlorox and then laundered and laid on the grass in a hot direct sun worked most times.
Lestoil on greasy work clothes laundered in hot water worked great.
I have started an experiment of my own. I have used a recipe for homemade laundry detergent found on line. My clothes smell fresh and clean, not perfumey. (however, I have added some laundry frangrance enhancers to the soap mixture) I am liking it so far. $27.00 for a supposed supply that will last a family of 4 for quite some time. I use 2T per load and soften with white vinegar. I have a front loading he washer. No odors or residue left in the machine or dispenser.
I have always hung my clothes to dry, but have given into drying towels if the weather does not permit. I have learned to keep an eye on the weather before hanging clothes in the morning.
I'd wouldn't dream of putting whipped cream in a chicen salad, but other than that, the first recipe looks great!
I'm planting a garden this year, and I carpool as often as I can
If he put that money into stocks, investments or startups he'd have a much more realistic reason to believe his life won't be the same...
That's the problem with lotteries. It's WORSE than useless. It promises no likelihood of return while sucking away dollars people could invest better elsewhere.
We buy a lot from consignment and thrift stores.
I carpool to work with three other people. It saves me a tremendous amount of money!
I recycle as much as possible (paper, cardboard, plastic, glass, aluminum, etc.) I also print on both sides of sheets of paper, or use old documents as scratch paper if one side is still unused. I try not to buy things until I need them. I turn off lights, electronics, and appliances when I leave the room. I also have a pretty fuel-efficient car.
I will try some of these!
I personally like to make spicy tuna brown rice rolls from canned/pouch tuna. Mayo + Frank's Wing sauce + green onion + tuna, a little cucumber, maybe avocado if I have it, 1/2 c brown rice, roll it all up in some seaweed and serve with miso soup and edamame. MMM!
We recycle. We also have a small garden. We have a water pitcher and use water bottles. We also have an electric lawn mower.
CFL Bulbs, hang laundry to dry, keep water heater at low setting, have recycled carpet, refurbish furniture instead of buying new, grow my own garden, pick up cans and bottles at work for recycling, make my own coffee, use cruise control on my 36mpg car, don't water my lawn, wash my car with a spray bottle, shower every other day, use energy efficient setting for laundry, soak dishes in bowl, don't use dishwasher, wear clothing twice before washing, compost, use push mower, not gas powered, never buy new clothes, use vinegar and baking soda to clean-no harsh chemicals, use coconut butter as lotion instead of petro chemically made lotion, etc. etc. etc. I'm a green machine!
Buy used. Use things up or wear them out. Recycle and up cycle. Moderate heating and cooling. Solar lighting. Combining errand trips. Take public trans when possible. Organic garden. Turn off the water when brushing my teeth.
You've touched on a HUGE problem. The FTC recently announced that more than 20 million Americans are victimized by scams similar to this. In fact, they recently issued a warning, saying ordinary Americans should check their phone bills for these types of cramming charges and should protest these immediately. In the meantime, the FTC is cracking down harder on these types of grey charges, although -- as with any type of federal crackdown -- it may take awhile before the results take effect.
I don't want to post a link in a comment -- I realize that's impolite and is seen as spammy -- but I do genuinely think that this is a relevant link that readers might be interested in. (Feel free to delete it if this is inappropriate) -- https://www.billguard.com/blog/2013/02/what-are-cramming-charges/
I bring a glass water bottle to work everyday to refill instead of getting the plastic water bottles they offer here.
Bebing green, to me, isn't about being fanatical, frugal or hugging a tree. It's all about common sense... which ultimately leads me to actually being frugal. As a retiree, my hubby and I chose to move to Panama, leaving behind family and friends but allowing us more freedom and breathing room with our fixed retirement funds. While not everything here is cheaper than the U.S., our lifestyle is much improved and greener as well.
We live in a much smaller house and live mostly outside on one of two terraces. We don't have to heat the house because "hey, this is the tropics." We've found that as we've adjusted to the local climate, we use fans instead of air conditioning... only using the air conditioner to cool the bedroom prior to sleep. We are close enough to town to walk to everything so the car sits alot. A tank of gas can last me 6 weeks instead of six days. I only drive to the city once every 3 or 4 months to take advantage of PriceMart... purchasing in bulk things that are used frequently. I take a Tamar Adlar approach to cooking... the water used to cook broccoli, cauliflower, etc becomes the base for tomorrow's luncheon soup. I do the bulk of my shopping once a month, with a list that I stick to. If the carrots look good, then I'll buy several pounds and roast them along with whatever else is in season. My vegetables don't go bad... it's quicker to cook dinner... and I only turn on the oven once for multiple cooking projects. I make cookie dough and freeze it and when I know the oven will be in use, I finish it up with warm cookies. I use a good faucet filter so no bottled water. With all the fresh fruit growing around, there are healthy smoothies every day and iced tea... no soda. I make most of our cleaning products. Not because of cost(although it does save money) but because I find them to be more effective and don't endanger our health. I make several of my own beauty products as well. Jars are reused and I know exactly what I'm putting on my skin. My husband is very good and creative at revitalizing anything that's broken... those kind of things that most people would toss and replace. I've learned to utilize the things and products that are around me instead of paying dearly for items to be ordered and sent here. The actual cost is astronomical but it also saves that product taking up space on a plane or ship as well as the fuel involved. As an avid book lover, I never thought I'd depart from my beloved bound paper. But books don't hold up well in the tropics. So rather than purchase a Kindle, I simply downloaded the Kindle app onto my laptop and get books, mostly free. I read at least 2 books a week and truthfully, haven't missed the paper. As someone who has been involved in alternative medicine for many years, I'm delighted to find so many plants, trees and herbs here that I can take advantage of. Instead of paying for a 1 ounce bottle of a healing tincture, I can make a quart at a time, usually just for being nice and talking to someone who has a guanabana tree in their back yard. That wouldn't work for everyone, but it's wonderfully green for us. We haven't returned to the states in 3+ years... we don't miss the consumer driven frenzy... nor the compulsive/impulsive buying that U.S. marketing imposes upon the people. We are very capable of making green decisions that help us and our community. We enjoy and delight in our ability to do what we feel is right for us... it is not a chore nor is it an actual choice. It is the lifestyle we've chosen.
Regarding the Citi Spirit companion passes, there appears to be about a $40-50 premium booking with Spirit. That is to say the "free" companion pass will cost you $40-50, which is not as bad a deal as this blog makes out.
Recycling, shopping mostly at thrift stores/yard sales, monitoring water usage, cooking from scratch, buying in bulk, turning leftovers into second (and third!) meals, recycling ink cartridges, using cloth napkins, fixing items instead of throwing them away, foraging wild or gone-wild fruit for jam and freezing, turning worn-out clothes into cleaning rags, writing letters on backs of old printouts, bringing my own grocery bags, hanging all laundry to dry, use LED bulbs.
My new partner and I keep the thermostat between 60 and 65 degrees (even during an Alaska winter). We have started a compost bin and will be gardening this summer: some to eat fresh, some to store for winter. He plans to build a greenhouse in the near future.
I have been using the same flip phone for five years and the same computer for more than three years. When I moved in he built an ergonomically friendly computer stand for me out of scrap wood.
Green isn't just eco-friendly. It's one giant frugal hack.
Well we do recycle cans and water bottles, my kids all use recyclable water bottles
Why has no one mentioned Crystal Light Energy? Buying it from Wal-Mart gets you $0.002 per mg of caffeine! It's great, you can mix it strong or weak to meet your needs and take it with you anywhere as it's just powdered.
I switched to all cfl lightbulbs a couple of years ago, which made a huge difference in our electric bill. We recently installed low-flush toilets and low flow shower heads to save on water. We are currently planning to replace our old leaky windows with energy efficient ones. Anything we replace in the house, we try to get a more energy efficient version.
That sounds like an awesome easy and healthy lunch, Jamie. Thanks for sharing!
recycle, walk and ride a bike.
Last night I took half a spaghetti squash out of my fridge (had already trimmed and removed seeds when I did the first half like, two weeks ago), cooked it in the microwave for 13 minutes, scraped it out and tossed with some peanut sauce and stuck it in the fridge. Also grabbed a handful of shrimp from the freezer to thaw overnight. Cooked the shrimp in a little sesame oil this morning (took all of 5 minutes), tossed in with the squash from last night, and lunch is ready to go.
I see you are from NYC. If you go to Chipotle and get their Veggie bowl (salad or burrito bowl) - it is easy to make... most of the ingredients like salsa or sour cream can be bought off shelf for less .. rice + beans is easy = mix them all. That was my lunch for today. I was also too tired of the Sammy routine.