frugal day 6

Here’s how you can save more than $8,000 a year by going green . . .


Limit portions. According to the US Department of Agriculture, roughly 25% of all edible food bought by Americans goes to waste. The average US household spends more than $6,000 a year on food. If you eliminate waste by preparing smaller portions, eating leftovers and storing foods efficiently, you could save $1500 a year.

Be thrifty with clothes. Only a small fraction of all clothing thrown away in the US is truly worn out, representing a tremendous waste of resources. If you buy gently used clothing, expect to save about 80% or more compared with the same items purchased new. With each US household spending an average of $2000 annually on clothing, buying half of your family’s clothing at thrift stores allows you to save a fashionable $800.

Drink tap water. It takes 1.5 million barrels of oil every year to manufacture disposable plastic water bottles for the US market – that’s enough to fuel 100,000 cars for a year. Also, if you drink only bottled water, you’ll spend about $1400 annually to get your recommended daily amount of H2O, as opposed to 49 cents for one year’s supply of just-as-healthy tap water.

Stay close to home. Each US household now generates an average of 10 vehicle trips per day. With the price of gas at close to $4 a gallon, if you consolidate or skip just two or three of those daily trips, you’ll save big money and reduce pollution. It costs $9,369 a year to keep the average car on the road. So, a 25% reduction in use could mean a savings of $1782.

Use your library. You already own almost every book worth reading – your tax dollars were used to stock your public library. So instead of buying books, borrow them. You’ll save trees and help reduce the publishing industry’s carbon footprint. Also borrow music CDs and movie DVDs. If you borrow one book a month instead of buying a hardcover for $25 and borrow two movies a month instead of spending $5 per movie at a video store, that’s a total savings of $420 a year.
And here's a fun resource for you: Use this Personal Emissions Calculator to see how much more you can save by living green.


October already!!!

pretty decent couple of days. most of my team was out of the office so i had a quiet week. slept good b/c of the benadryl i took. friday night rach and i took the train to philly for margaret cho's show, beautiful. it was pretty awesome. i, um, had no idea it would be so vulgar, eating pxssy, a$$, and she is queer, which i did not know, and rach and I were def the minorities in the audience. but it was way way funny!! and everyone was so cool. and the opening act, Liam Sullivan (as kelly) was funny! then back home & in bed by 12.

up at 7am, hit up a couple yard sales and got some really great stuff including, burts bees gift pack BNIB, a little antique half-circle table for a buck, a black velvet fringy shawl, a full pack of coffee notecards, a free winerack, some cool B&W lights to hang up, and an antique pitcher covered in grape leaves, all under $5!!off to the Y to work with the kids from 9-12.and so i've been cleaning, watching 90210 reruns, cleaning, etc.

Good weekend- although this morning am wiped out, and didn’t do anything really that strenuous yesterday. I wonder if I am getting sick. I sure hope not. I have far too much to due!

sat night ended up going to see Eagle Eye with di and deb. was cool and we had a great time hanging out after.

Hit up produce junction with Jen yesterday and we split some of the stuff so it wouldn’t go bad, and I spent about $8 for mini pumpkins, broccoli, peaches, lettuce, mushrooms, raspberries, strawberries, cukes and corn. And we walked, so that was good for the environment and our tushes. Then I put myself on Facebook, when I proceeded to get friended or whatever up by so many of my high school pals! That was cool, and they all told me I look great! thank you!!

Of course, I took a nap then ate about an oz of pasta with cheese and then espresso ice cream for dinner (not so good for my tush). This is when I felt really crappy.
Made my egg bake for the week- broccoli, shrooms, cheese and eggs in the crock pot for 3 hours (this will be my b fast all week) and I have the rest of my pumpkin soup for lunch today.

Now I am at work and feel LOUSY. Drinking some coffee and trying to fight the dizziness and the sweating.

Joni just told me she has a dr appt at 4. I am so leaving right after her. Going to go swim at the Y. then going to make fresh applesauce in the crockpot with apples from my co-worker. Going to get the rent from my renters! ($750!!) then sleep.!