WE MADE IT, GYPSIES!!!

Well, here it is, January 31. We made it. Just barely. A month of Gypsy Challenges, Failures and Triumphs.
Firstly, confessions.
Yesterday I spent 1.50 at the dollar store on kitchen items and today I spent $16 dollars at value village on alternative cookbooks. They were all practical items that we needed, but they were outside of the gypsy parameters. So, all told?
$17 on Birthday Roses
$1.50 at the Dollar Store
$16 on Cookbooks
=
$34.50 worth of bad girl.
But it was a month of reflection, resourcefulness and discipline. And, although this may expose me to judgmental thoughts, when I have compiled a months non-essential spending in the past, the numbers have been STAGGERING! Say it again: STAGGERING!!! So even though there have been failures, I feel triumphant and resplendent in the fluorescent lighting of my basement.

What have I learned?
~Well, I have learned that if you look around your house, you probably have the thing, or something like it, that you are planning on buying or think you so desperately need.
~I have learned that self restraint is a gateway for blessing. I received so many gifts and encouragements, opportunities to earn and opportunities to give, in the midst of our "no-spending".
~I have learned that I really don't have any unmet needs. We are truly a culture that lives solely in the realm of 'wants' - what a tremendous curse and blessing.

Thank you for joining me and keep pinching those pennies, Gypsies!

______________________

UPCOMING!

I am planning a survey, a gift give away and possibly a frugality themed party in the near future (and when you're a mom, the near future means sometime this year) so keep your eyes peeled, lovies, because good things are coming your way!

Roughing It - Scrubby Girls, The Review

Yesterday I made up a batch of four of Karen Logan's cleaners: all purpose cleaning spray, all purpose anti-bacterial spray, a diaper pail deodorizer and an all purpose scrub. I cleaned my kitchen thoroughly with them using a rag and a scrubby. And what do I think?

I LOVE THEM.
THEY SMELL GOOD.
THEY CLEAN GOOD.
THEY WERE CHEAP.

They were very simple formulas and quick to mix up. You can customize your scents using different essential oils (which were the only things that I had to buy - I went for peppermint and tea tree from the health food store) and you put the ingredients and formula on the bottle so they are easy to re-fill.

I would definitely give them 5 stars out of 5 all around.

And the best part? My husband came home and said how good the house smelled!

I really feel I should encourage you to try this - it has been such a rewarding journey so far, and beneficial in so many ways! If you have any practical questions, PLEASE email me and I will be glad to help you find whatever you need.

REMEMBER: Clean House Clean Planet by Karen Logan. It's available at the library, on e-bay and amazon.

Roughing It: DIY Dry Cleaning

I had a question about DIY dry cleaning this week.

I read, read and read some more, and I would have to say that as far as I will go with DIY dry cleaning is the Dryell Kit at the grocery store.

Most of the DIY recipes involve coating your clothing with clay, wheat germ and other bizarre stuff and rubbing it, hitting it or shaking it, sometimes in a bag. I've been working on my anger for sometime now, and I try not to cuss much, so I will say that my response when I read the above information was absolute and utter silence. But if looks could kill, my computer would be dead.

On the other hand, the Dryell Kit is easy to use {but smells like a clean old man, if that makes any sense} and is cheaper than dropping your clothes at the dry cleaner.

Also, I feel I should tell you that you will need to dab clean any spots or stains because the Dryell kit will not take those bad boys out.

Roughing It: Homemade Laundry Soap - For HE Machines?

I've had a question on wether you can use the homemade detergents in High Efficiency Washers. Here is what the site I got the recipe from says:

Can You Safely Use Homemade Laundry Detergents With A High Efficiency Washer (HE Machine)?

• I have no experience with this but there are lots of comments that say it’s fine to use. Be aware that using anything other than what your machine manufacturer recommends may void your warranty.
• Go through the comments in the original post and you will also find several recipes offered and recommended for HE machines. (see below, comment by "Troy")
• Homemade detergent is low sudsing which is important for HE machines.

Troy says:

Hello Everyone,

For the last year, I have been using the following Mix for my Sears Kenmore HE front loader:

3 bars Fels Naptha
3 cups Borax
3 cups Arm and Hammer Washing Soda.

Grate the Fels Naptha, then put in a food processor with a chopping blade and chop until fine.

Pour into a large bowl with the Borax and Washing Soda and stir until combined.

Use 1/4 cup in a HE front loader, use 1/2 cup in a top loader. In my HE front loader, it dissolves perfectly

I use Vinegar as the fabric softener and add Mrs. White’s Liquid Bluing for the Whites load. The whites come out wonderful, the colors are bright and clean., and best of all, it is better for the environment.

I also found this info:

Regarding High Efficiency (HE) Front-Load Washers

You may have been told you need to use “special soap” for your HE front-load washing machine. Let me enlighten you as to why. HE front-load washers require “special soap” for one reason and one reason alone…low suds; because they use less water, they require soap that is less sudsy. The good news is, the homemade detergent in this recipe is VERY low suds. Just make sure you use the recommended amount of detergent. http://diynatural.com/simple-easy-fast-effective-jabs-homemade-laundry-detergent/

PROGNOSIS:

Most of what I have read by impartial observers and those who have been using it for years say a resounding YES to homemade detergent in HE washers, with the odds slightly more in favor of the liquid detergent.

Roughing It - Homemade Laundry Soap 2.0

Well Scrubby Girls, I finished that enormous bucket of home made sludge. It lasted from October 21 to January 21, so I would say that 3 months worth of laundry for a buck or two was well worth it. Granted, it did need a boost now and again for stains and dirty dirties, but the savings makes home made laundry detergent unbeatable.

For whites, I recommend adding a cleaning booster like oxy clean or bleach, though. I found my whites and brights getting dull.

As promised, I am trying a new formula this time, and I have to say that even though the liquid stuff was easy, this was the work of a few minutes. This is what I did:

How to Make Powdered Laundry Soap:

Clean an old yoghurt container.

Finely grate a bar of soap. (I used Ivory)

Mix in a bowl with 1 cup borax, 1 cup washing soda.

Pour into yoghurt container.

Label and put the lid on.

Use 2 tbsp for your average load.

Could it get simpler?

I think this way will be slightly less cost effective, but the simplicity might be enough to lure some of you to try it. I will let you know how long it lasts.

I am going to research less toxic washing boosters and fabric softeners this month and let you know what I find.

And a bit of good news - although most of your commercial laundry supplies are laden with toxins, I was very pleased to find that Spray'n'Wash spot cleaner/stain remover is given a very good rating for low toxins and is on safe lists for use! And I was ALREADY using it!

****

A thought I am having - if you want to try the homemade powdered soap but don't want to make it let me know and I will whip you up some for cheap so you can try it before you buy all of the supplies.

Swiffer Solutions

Just a quickie today Ladies and Gents...

I have a swiffer mop because I have a laminate floor and I bought it when we first got married before I had a thought in my head about responsible living.

But after I ran out of the first box of wet cloths, and then the first box of dry cloths, my stingy side took over. And for a long time I was cranky at this stupid ongoing expense.

But after a brainwave of indiscernible length, I came up with this idea:

I bought a 2 pack of brightly colored microfiber cloths at the dollar store.

At home I measured them, cut them to fit the swiffer (I got 2 or 3 out of each cloth) and sewed the edges.

They are the only orange cloths in the house, so they never get used for anything but the floor, and I wet them with hot water, wring them out and swiffer away.

RATING:

5 STARS out of 5 for cost, effectiveness and environmental friendliness.

Gypsies - COUNTDOWN!

Hello my fellow gypsies.

How is the challenge going?

If you have bunged it up and are disconsolate, be of good cheer. There are still 8 whole days of challenge left and that means 8 whole days of potential victory!

On that note, I have a confession.

Yesterday was my birthday and my husband broke the code, and bought me roses. I cannot fault him.

It was our only flub and I can't even really classify it as that.

:0D

"Natural Cleaning for Your..." Doosh Bag

I have just read most of "Natural Cleaning for Your Home - 95 Pure and Simple Recipes" by Casey Kellar. Should you be reading this, Casey, I suggest that you go find a book and a cup of tea and not read what follows. It will surely hurt your feelings.

Firstly, dear readers, I feel I must give you an excerpt from the dust jacket:

"....Ever get the feeling that life has gotten too complicated? That everything has become too expensive? That you're spending your days running around in a crazy frenzy, creating mountains out of tiny little molehills?

If so, take this simple test. Go to the cabinet where you store your home's cleaning products and take a look inside. If you see rows and rows of cleaning products, each specialized for a slightly different task, and if just looking at all those bottles and containers fills you (and your wallet) with fear and fatigue, then it's time for a change.

Natural cleaning for your home can get you back on track to a fresher, calmer home life..." blah blah blah... save money.... blah blah blah... don't need harsh disinfecting chemicals.... blah BLAH BLAH!!!

I would like to point out a few things before I rant.

1) The words "Pure" and "Natural" in the title.

2) The bolded sentence in the excerpt above that would imply she is about to introduce us to a simpler, cheaper way of cleaning.

3) She actually writes in the dust jacket that we don't need harsh disinfecting chemicals to clean.

Lock and Load, Girls.

I don't know what the words 'natural' and 'pure' [or 'harsh' for that matter] mean to you, but I take offense to the inclusions of: Ammonia, Asprin, Ethyl Alcohol (she recommends VODKA), Gasoline, Liquid Iron, Liquid Whiting, Muriatic Acid, Propylene Glycol and Turpentine. What isn't natural by these standards? I will not even attempt a single recipe from this book on principle. If your title is misleading, what faith should I put in your formulas?

As for saving money? I have no idea what the prices were in 1998, the year this book was published, but I can safely say that in 2010, throwing out my "rows and rows of cleaning products, each specialized for a slightly different task" and using the 9 kitchen ingredients she lists along with the 47 item hard to find 'natural and pure' shopping list would be financially detrimental to several months worth of budgets.

Even some of the formulas, several of which involve mixing ammonia with pretty aggressive ingredients, give me pause. Do I really want to mix this up and put it on a carpet? A leather seat? My DOG?

Verdict: This book is what I would refer to as:

Main Entry:	crap
Part of Speech:	noun
Definition:	nonsense
Synonyms:	baloney, bunk, bunkum, claptrap, drivel, foolishness, hogwash, idiocy, ludicrousness, poppycock, ridiculousness, rigmarole,tomfoolery, twaddle {I think claptrap and twaddle are my fave's}

Supply List

I am currently 100 pages into the first book, called "Clean House Clean Planet" by Karen Logan, which was recommended to me by a friend who scrubbed my tub using baking soda and vinegar (my baby was 3 weeks old, and I hadn't been able to bend down far enough to clean the tub in about 6 or 7 months. It was gross.)

I am already confident enough in her so far to strongly recommend the book to you - I found it at my local library, and will purchase it when a bit of extra coin comes my way. Karen speaks in an understandable way and is easy to relate to because she's a mom trying to make bucks stretch farther and make her home safer. This book is ideal for the person who is interested in green cleaning/money saving and doesn't know where to start. She is a wealth of knowledge on why to make the switch, how to do it, and how much you'll save.

I have to make a few purchases before I am able to try her recipes, but here are the ingredients you will need:

Arm and Hammer Baking Soda (it doesn't clump as easy as other brands)

Heinz White Vinegar (it's less processed or something)

Lemon Juice

Borax (its in a green box in the laundry isle)

Liquid Soap (Vegetable Oil Based, Castile or Glycerine) - you can get Dr. Bronners Castile soap from our local health food store (the one in Walmart Mall is better), and it's good for more than cleaning - you can use it for LOTS of different stuff. I'll post about it another time.

Salt

Essential Oils (Like Tea tree, lavender, lemon & Peppermint) [optional]

And a few spray bottles, squirt bottles and shakers.

It's that simple. I would take time to read the book before you purchase the items you need, though, because she has lots of helpful and money saving tips on getting the right stuff.

The Myth About Gift Giving

So, I make most of my gifts to save money and have been for about the last year. A lot of people look at me like I am a mythical creature or like I have a growth coming out of my forehead when they find this out. Again, and not to rag on it, but it's our corrupted culture. We are going soul bankrupt. When you can't give a homemade gift without embarrassment, it's a sign. Like fiery chariots in the sky and the like.

Then there's the people who admire this achievement, but say with great conviction, "But I could never do that. I don't have a creative bone in my body." Let me say with great conviction, that's a load of bull crappers. If we are made in the image of God, then we are creative. We just aren't all the same KIND of creative.

So what are you good at? Do you bake? Do you write? Do you sing? Do you sew? Do you? You can take your area of expertise and turn it into gifts. Write some one a story. Give someone a ready made cookie mix. Or, better yet - cookies! Make a CD of your songs and give it to everyone for Christmas. Be creative. Any one can give some one a starbucks card (which is not to say that I don't appreciate them, because I DOOOOOOO!), but only you can give of yourself. You are the greatest treasure you own. My most precious possessions would surprise you, and one of them is a {very poorly} handsewn stuffed puppy. Some of the most touching mementos I have are letters, poems and stories. Some of the deepest treasures in my heart are unrecorded words.

So I want you to think in a different direction when you think of gifts. Think of the person. Give of yourself. Touch peoples hearts. You'll save money, but more importantly, you will live a richer life. This is the journey. Because when we die, all we take with us is relationship. Nothing else will stick to our souls hard enough to cross the great beyond.

Scrubby Gypsies... er....

Hello All!

Well, I am VERY proud to announce that I have not made any boo-boo's and am still a gypsy. I have been very restrained, and it's been easier than I thought because I have so far got an unexpected $70 this month, a $30 gift card for WOOL and a free coffee. So we are even UP in our budget. Even though I am not spending, I have not only what I need, but I have the option of getting what I want, too. Somehow it makes my resolve even stronger. I haven't used any gift cards this week at all.

On to the DIY Cleaning.

I have requested a bzillion books from the library, so I am waiting on that, but yesterday I watched a DVD from the Green Living Series, and not only is DIY cleaning less expensive, it is "green".

Did you know that the air in your home can be up to 5 times more polluted than what's outside? And most of that comes down to the toxins in cleaning products. By making your own cleaners, you reduce the risk of accidental poisoning, long term respiratory illnesses, even cancer - and of course, you are reducing the toxins leaving your home and entering the environment through the drain. The companies that produce cleaning products are required by law to indicate if something is poisonous or will burn your skin, but there are no rules or laws regarding ingredients that can cause serious illness over a long period of exposure. Some cleaning products even include known carcinogens. YIKES!

Also, there are studies out there that draw a direct link between cleaning products and NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS IN CHILDREN. The studies go so far as to say that it is a silent pandemic. I don't know about you, but when I heard that I was pretty much done. Our children are exposed to a much higher and varied amount of chemicals than any other generation before, they're getting new sicknesses and no one's really saying anything about it. So let's BE the change!

I haven't used any of the formulas that were in the DVD yet, so I am not going to give them to you until I've tested them, but I really think that this is an important change for all of us to at least try out. So try and think about it in the next few days. If our minds change first, then anything is possible.

Roughing It - Scrubby Girls

Alright, for those of you getting bored with the Gypsies, a sub-plot.

But first, to set the stage, an assignment. Go look at your cleaning cupboard.

Count the bottles.

How many of them have danger symbols on them?

How many of them cost more than $4 a pop?

How many of them do you really need?

Okay, I hope that your mind is suitably open.

You can apparently clean your house with simple kitchen ingredients that will not only expose you and your family to less toxins, they are CHEAP as chips.

I am going to test this and review it here for your money saving pleasure.

I will research various methods & theories using the library and internet (and of course your suggestions and questions) and my goal is to separate fact from propaganda and also set us up with a list of cleaning supplies and tools.

Disclaimers:

1) I will never give up my Magic Eraser. It is a superior cleaning product that truly shocked me into submission the first time I used it. No matter how toxic it is. Some things are beyond reproach.

However, you can save money on those bad boys - the Dollar Store by Canadian Tire (for my local readers) sells no name ones for $1.25, which I have tested and find to be just as good.

[EDITORS NOTE: I found magic erasers even cheaper at Superstore. It was a generic brand and you got 2 for $2.25]

2) I will never give up bleach. There are somethings that need to be disinfected to a higher standard than others (mould, poop, vomit) and for those reasons, I will always have an enormous jug of bleach on hand.

Temptation, Overcome

Oh, my, yesterday was a hard day not to spend money. It was one of those days where the house is clean, the baby is happy, the To-Do's are done, and instead of feeling a sense of freedom, I was at a loss with what to do with myself.

So I decided to go out. But no sooner had I decided that than an intense craving for a Latte hit me squarely between the eyes. And some french fries. And a new shirt.

RIDICULOUS.

But once the temptation was over come I realized that that is why we North Americans shop so much. I mean, do we really need {or even, truly, want} a new shirt. No, probably not. We want the feeling that comes from a purchase. We want the potential that comes from a new outfit. We want the feeling of well being that a $5 latte produces.

We shop because we are bored. Because we're lonely. Because we're unfulfilled. Because we're stressed. Because we're afraid. Take your pick.

I was feeling lonely - my husbands second day back at work after a glorious 2 week break and the house felt awfully empty, the day terribly long. So what did I do? I went and visited him at work for 15 minutes. Did wonders. Then two errands. And afternoon nap was upon us. Temptation, overcome.

DAY 4 and going STRONG

Alright, darlings.

Day four of the Gypsie Challenge.

Frivolous $ Spent?

Absolutely nothing.

Granted (and suddenly I feel like I am confessing), I used my Starbucks Gift Card once this week, and bought a coffee another time with money that had been given to me, but I am not really counting gifts as part of the challenge. Is that cheating?

Wait... I am the BOSS. I get to make the rules.

So, lets start that again.

In case you are wondering, fellow gypsies, gifts don't count in the challenge. Heh.

In other news, I made a transaction on the down low this evening. No names named, no faces seen. Just a farmer, his free range chickens and my hungry family. You can save around $2 a dozen (if you know the right people) on free range eggs by finding a local chicken farmer.

This gets 4 out of 5 stars because:

PRO - Eggs keep for months in a cold place. So when your supermarket eggs have a best by thats only a few weeks away? YOU ARE EATING REALLY OLD EGGS. When you go to a local farmer you guarantee yourself fresh eggs.

PRO - You are supporting local businesses. This is good. If you don't know why, pull your head out of your bottom and ask someone. After washing your hair. And possibly brushing your teeth.

PRO - You save money. And isn't that why you're here?

CON - It's less convenient to drive out of your way, with cash, to get them than it is to pick them up along with the milk and cheese.

Gypsie Update

No takers!? Aye, me, sad hours seem long...

Well, I am going to do this on my own then.

And so far so good! One day down and 30 to go = zero dollars spent. In fact, today I will be earning some unexpected income, so we're on the plus side.

To curb my spending tendencies, last night we watched a documentary on Lions in India and I started 3 sewing projects. Nice. I can see that this month is going to be very interesting.

Oh, and an interesting frugality tip:

You can make your own cutting boards by trimming the edges off of old ice cream pail lids. Granted, they are round, and they don't last as long as other cutting boards, but they work.