What are your frugal and sustainable tips and tricks?

[Sally PB]

I used to clip a few coupons from the paper. I used the "back of envelope" list trick, and put my coupons in the envelope too.

 

[HenriettaPizzaNolan]

Still Losing The Battle...

Just a quick rant here. I'm still upset that I cannot make any headway against the false idea that water must be bottled in plastic and bought on the shelf or it is no good. Not only that, but you cannot reuse those plastic bottles of water once emptied without shame for being cheap!

I live on a lake, and our water control laws and regulations make it impossible to do anything (legally) that would pollute our lakes. We have hard well water, which I think is perhaps even better than anything we could buy in plastic bottle. I grew up with the taste of well water, so I prefer the taste of well water to soft water or city water with fluoride and other chemicals in it.

Anyways, Dear Wife continues to purchase bottled water for her use at work. If she does not bring her water, they charge $1.00 per bottle of water in the vending machines. So, yeah, it's cheaper to bring your own. But when I ask why she just does not get a refillable water flask or thermos, or even just refill some of her bottled water containers, she just looks at me like I am from a different planet. "Nobody refills their water bottles at work. You just don't do that!"

I truly don't understand how we have become a society that pays big bucks for water treatment centers, pay more per gallon for clean tap water in our house, and then are convinced that we now need to buy water in one use, throw away and pollute the environment for hundreds of years, plastic water bottles?

And yes, I mean hundreds of years. I'm not a chemist, but I asked my new best friend, ChapGPT AI how long it takes for a plastic bottle to decompose in a landfill, and this is the answer I got:

"A plastic water bottle can take 450 to 1,000 years to decompose in a landfill, depending on the type of plastic and environmental conditions. Here's a breakdown of the factors involved:..."

I have no doubt that everyone at the office where Dear Wife works all buy plastic water bottles and toss them out after first use. I have no doubt that people might be shamed if they, god forbid, should refill a bottle of water. I am wondering if anyone here on the forum notices this where they work, a kind of social pressure, to actually do the wrong thing (IMHO) and buy water in plastic bottles that are used once and tossed into the waste stream to pollute our environment for a hundred years or more?

Obviously, my rant does not apply to those who live in areas where the tap water is not safe to drink. I was stationed in Naples, Italy for 2 years and we had to buy bottle water for drinking and cooking because the local water was not safe to drink. And I mean really "not safe to drink." In fact, the Navy would send out trucks with huge containers of clean water to base housing that our service members and family could refill their water containers with clean water and not go broke buying water for the family use. We called those tanker trucks "water buffalos". But that was the only place I have ever lived where I felt it necessary to buy bottled water.

Rant over. Thanks for any comments if you made it this far. Would love to hear other thoughts, for or against, on this subject of bottled water that affects us both in the frugal sense and sustainable life style.

I feel the same way as you. I don't understand plastic water bottle use. Not only is it wasteful and bad for the environment, but it costs a lot! And not to mention the chemicals in plastic leeching into the water...

I have drank straight tap water my whole life. The only time I drink from a plastic water bottle is when I am at a work event or something and they hand them out. At that point I figure I may as well drink it since it was handed to me and I trust myself to recycle the bottle.

However, lately I have started to have some concerns about tap water. Why are there so many metals and plastics in our water? And I have for years had serious questions about why they still put fluoride in our water when fluoride toothpaste and fluoride treatments at the dentist are commonplace. I know there are much better filters out there, but I bought a simple Brita Elite filter and have been happy with it. That way I have a good balance between not buying plastic bottles, and not having such a high amount of strange substances in my tap water (Brita doesn't get everything out, but it's an improvement). It's the best I can do right now, but I'm feeling decent about it. It's also pretty cost-efficient because I only have to replace the filter every 6 months (apparently).

 

[paintedChix]

Not to turn this into a prepper thread

Anyone else have these crazy dystopian fantasy moments?

YEP

 

[paintedChix]

Plastic Easter grass? I didn't get that - it is part of my parents' estate that none of us can think of a use for - there is several dozen bags - maybe a cubic yard.

Rubber bands like the grocery store has around broccoli bunches? Also part of the estate - maybe 20 pounds of them.

Jewel cases for CDs? I did get those - it was one of those get a small package for almost the same price as a large case and we needed just over the number in the package. I thought we would use more later. opps.

It's been almost 2 yes since you posted this...

Donate the "easter grass" & rubber bands to thrift stores. Still being produced & used, so someone will be thrilled.

I definitely still use rubber bands, so a ball of them in still usable shape would be an awesome find for me. However, like so many products these days, they don't last as long. I've often found them either "glued together" in semi melted form or completely separated into tiny bits.

CD cases still have uses, too, but when I needed to move a bunch along, they were able to go to recycle bins. Not sure they still can?

 

[paintedChix]

Some questions that I've had recently that I could use some help on.

I don't have a dishwasher (farmhouse). I've heard that dishwashers nowadays use less water than hand washing, but I would have to remodel my kitchen. The waste from a remodel seems to outweigh the water use. I live in a swamp - water scarcity is absolutely not a thing here. We spend our lives placing drain tile.

I also have a clothes drier from the 70s and a washer from the 90s. They both work decently, but we have to tinker with them.

Is it more economical / better for the environment to get new, eco friendly appliances even when it means more waste with trashing/recycling the old ones?

What are your thoughts?

Sure you've gotten feed back on this already, but I've got 143 pages left to read.

When our daughter & grandsons move out in the next few months, we will be removing the dishwasher. It's not that old, 3rd one since 2015 - always requested by children that have moved back in w/ us. This one, issues w/ leaking & though the bottom cleaned weekly (sooo gross!!), it never seems to get anything clean (also GROSS). We will re-install shelving - to store some of the larger items that aren't used all the time. We have a large array of products we don't use daily, sometimes not even monthly, but do not want to send away. Nutribullet, KitchenAid mixer w/ meat grinder, 2 smaller mixers, Ninja food processor, 2 (or 3?) mandolin slicers w/ lots of different blade attachments, air fryer, crockpots (yes, plural for diff uses), InstaPot & dehydrator...

Once I have more counter space w/ large/many items on counter tops, i can mix & knead bread from scratch & take bread machine off wishlist.

**********
On dryer vs clothes lines. While working full time, clothes lines didn't work for us. Here in NC - pollen, bugs (june bugs & ants especially), high humidity keeping things from actually, wind blowing clothes into neighbors' yards. Seriously considering going back to clothes lines, since I'm not returning to work. BUT those heavy baskets might be hard to maneuver w/ still healing broken ankle...

Purchasing new washer/dryer - old ones - strip copper wiring. Sell that. The outer cases, ive seen used for dog & chicken housing, worm farms & composting & the drums for raised container gardening bins or composting. I have not done this yet...

 

[paintedChix]

OK. I have watched a number of solar videos lately, but I think this is the one the I was talking about. Also, if I got a few facts mashed together, please forgive. Anyway, the just of the is video is saving a ton of money buy installing a "grid down power" system instead of a complete house solar system. Consider the concept of using battery power and a generator. He has a sale's pitch for his equipment at the end of the video, but basically it's a battery and generator setup to save lots of money.

Again sorry, but 9 pages in I'm seeing grid down w/ generators & batteries...

How to get fuel UNLESS you have 500 gallon tanks yourself...

In 2011, when those tornados swept across NC we had power. But SO MANY gas stations & truck stops had no back up generators themselves. Guess what? NO FUEL w/ no power.

We were stuck at a truck stop w/ 6 ponies & pony sized draft/farming equipment & harness, 6 people in the 3/4T 4x4 diesel truck. The interstate was closed due to damage & trees down & across - everyone directed off to truck stop. Ran air conditioning until tanks (2) ran low. Shut off & windows dropped - uncomfortable wasn't even the word. Hot, humid, 'skeeters, noisy & then... human B.O... Even w/ interstate opened, many could not get back on road due to fuel situation.

A little over 12 hours. My husband (not part of the horse or later pony situation) went to 10+ gas stations before he found one w/ both power & diesel... Had to keep updating vet appointments while on the road. We were coming and had 2 colts scheduled to be castrated but... Vet ok/depressed as dealing w/ 2 major horse farms outside of Sanford - many severe/critical equine injuries. Thankfully I forget how many were euthanized...

Think out of work myself due to gas, power & road closures. Larry even off a couple days... Worked nights in Cary then.

**********
On recycling & reducing - North Carolina Working Horse & Mule Association (NCWHMA) has members that only use "true" horse power to farm - corn, wheat, hay, other mowing & logging.

Oct 2010 - harvesting corn (flatbed wagon pulled by a pair, no pics of them hitched), cutting corn stalks down, turning back into fields, planting corn for next year. The "little shits" are my 1st pair wearing my haystring braided harness & driving lines.







From 2009 - 2016 I was a member. Once I'd worked w/ draft horse trainer from April thru Nov 2010 w/ one pair of Shetland mares, I went on to train quite a few more singles & pairs. Can hitch & drive a 3 abreast hitch, but not a 4-up, by myself. LOVED driving pairs!! I could & did haul up to 6 ponies in front of trailer w/ wagon or other equipment & harness in back half. Loaded, unloaded, harnessed, hitched & driven by myself. LOVED the 38" - 42" Shetlands!!

Horses & mules have lower impact on land, less fuel (somewhat debatable - getting to large event requires large trucks & trailers using diesel/gas), provide fertilizer & can often get into fields sooner than fueled tractors.

Since i both didn't have the $$ and didn't know if would "stick with it", our first harnesses were braided from the haystring that was wrapped around our large round bales (RE-USE). I still have those first hay string braided equipment!! It's VERY long-lasting, LOL.

But in 2011, w/ tax returns I was able to get "real" harness, in 2012 - a wagon & some customized Shetland sized equipment from Amish communities in OH...

1st or 2nd event w/ new harness & pulling collars. The blue line attached to their halters is braided haystring. Helps to keep inexperienced team together.




What we were doing when the tornados hit. Won the bet of $200 that the "little shits" couldnt pull... Had to pull the disk out of dried mud & weeds 1st, no pics of that pull... Got loud w/ catcalls, cheers & whistling!! On a farm about 5 hours drive from home.





They were rightfully tired. They were rinsed off after this photo. Bit's halter & lead rope are braided hay string (pony w/ blaze face on right).

 

[paintedChix]

I have never heard of adding eggshells to your coffee, but I'm not a coffee drinker. Dear Wife drinks coffee, but has one of those Keurig machines with the individual packets. Terrible waste, IMHO, but then again, she only has one cup of coffee in the morning and nothing more. So, I guess a full pot would go to waste.

Coffee grounds are great for the compost. In fact, I have seen them used as coop litter on some YouTube videos. I have never used coffee grounds as litter, but think it would be a great option if you could get the grounds for free.

Hmm, I'd heard of the egg shells in coffee one or two times before, but always forget... I'm guessing they need to be washed 1st, but do they need to be dried out in oven or dehydrator 1st?

We also have a kureig. But the last 2 (or 3?) we've owned had a different "basket". We then bought the filter cups w/ lids & the filters. I have several kinds of coffee stored in the kitchen, along w/ spices (turmeric, ginger, cinnamon, black pepper, vanilla (liquid)). You can make coffee to personality taste & strength. Now that I drink most coffee black, I like it a little less strong or bitter. It's become a fun game... the mini filter w/ grounds goes into our compost.

Larry now has a separate set up in his office, works nights from home. He grinds coffee beans fresh - best Christmas gift ever, bought year before last - thrift store!!

I haven't gotten his gift yet this year... hmm...

 

[AGeese]

I use Zerowater, which takes 99.7%? of the lead out. It's the same quality as distilled. I can't stand the plastic taste from plastic jugs. I can tollerate it if it's been chilled.

Recently got a letter from the water association they can't identify what my lines are made of. I haven't trusted tap in decades. If there isn't a tap water advisory due to a line break or some other thing I just don't trust miles of line in the ground to be free of ingress.

 

[TooCheep]

Hmm, I'd heard of the egg shells in coffee one or two times before, but always forget... I'm guessing they need to be washed 1st, but do they need to be dried out in oven or dehydrator 1st?

I use powdered egg shells when using my drip coffee maker. I clean the egg shells if dirty before processing. The bloom isn't a problem, but poo, etc. are not welcome.

I let them dry naturally (3-7 days) in old egg cartons and then hand crush them. The majority of these get fed back to the chickens as a calcium supplement. Periodically, I'll take some shells and powder them in a small coffee/herb grinder and put them in a spice jar. I'll then take a fairly small amount (1/4-1/2 tsp) and put it on top of the coffee grounds before brewing.

Benefits- Adds some natural calcium to my diet, takes the edge off of the bitterness of coffee, and the coffee/egg shell grounds get tossed into my compost pile to recycle the nutrients. I've been doing this for about a year now and really like it.

 

[fuzzi]

I feel the same way as you. I don't understand plastic water bottle use. Not only is it wasteful and bad for the environment, but it costs a lot! And not to mention the chemicals in plastic leeching into the water...

I have drank straight tap water my whole life. The only time I drink from a plastic water bottle is when I am at a work event or something and they hand them out. At that point I figure I may as well drink it since it was handed to me and I trust myself to recycle the bottle.

However, lately I have started to have some concerns about tap water. Why are there so many metals and plastics in our water? And I have for years had serious questions about why they still put fluoride in our water when fluoride toothpaste and fluoride treatments at the dentist are commonplace. I know there are much better filters out there, but I bought a simple Brita Elite filter and have been happy with it. That way I have a good balance between not buying plastic bottles, and not having such a high amount of strange substances in my tap water (Brita doesn't get everything out, but it's an improvement). It's the best I can do right now, but I'm feeling decent about it. It's also pretty cost-efficient because I only have to replace the filter every 6 months (apparently).

I have had an Aquapur for about 3 years (like a Berkeley). The water tastes YUMMY, much like the water from our 300' deep well back in my childhood. I can't stand the taste of bottled water anymore. I bring my own with me to work, in a stainless steel bottle.