Welcome

Hello and thank you for checking out my new blog. My goal is to be environmentally conscious, while saving money. Regardless of your financial situation, we could all use some tips to help the environment and save some cash. There is no denying that green living can help make your life healthier and create a cleaner future for your children.

I have always considered myself the ultimate recycler. At parties back in the day, disdained by the lack of recycling, you could find me stuffing beer cans in my purse to recycle later. I would never hesitate to pick up a piece of garbage or can in the parking lot. In fact I kept two small garbage bags in my car, one for trash, the other for recycling. And when our city no longer required sorting of recycling, I went gangbusters. Informing my neighbors of the possibilities to reduce their garbage and increase their recycling.

Though my recycling skills would not help me with the next phase of our lives when our finances nosedived in 2009. My spouse works in the auto industry and we went from what we felt was a comfortable lifestyle of eating out and family vacations, to worrying about how we would pay our bills. I had to look at all of our needs versus wants. We cut out the "wants" and reassessed our "needs" by finding substitutes, which turned out to be "green" substitutes, without really trying. I am not a certified green specialist, but I'm tryin.

Vin-e-what??

Think about your cleaning products. Do you have a separate cleaning agent for your mirrors, toilets, stone floors, wood floors? I used to also. But now I use Vinegar!!! Yes, that super smelly stuff that people use to can pickles will clean your windows and disinfect your floors.

I seriously use the stuff on everything. I have a spray bottle with 1 part vinegar 3 parts water that I spray on counters or anything else needing spot cleaning. I pour a splash in my mop bucket to clean my wood, vinyl, and stone floors. I clean the shower with the stuff. Use a crumpled up newspaper and wash your windows and mirrors with vinegar. Sometimes if I'm too lazy to get my normal toilet cleaning product out of the laundry room (Borax) I'll pour some vinegar in the toilet. It seems to do the job as well. Also if your kids soil their bedding or clothing, throw a splash of vinegar in the rinse cycle to rid of any potential left over smells.

The thing I love the most about vinegar is it is non-toxic. With young children and pets living on your floors, you don't have to worry about this cleaning product having harmful effects after you have cleaned. And don't worry about how much water versus vinegar to add to your cleaning concauctions. Just do whatever feels right and you will get the hang of it. Again, it is non toxic, you can't screw it up!

The cost?? About $3 for 2 gallons at your local major discount store.