Since Going Green...

[Nada.Leona]

After seeing all the things we stopped buying when we start living a frugal lifestyle, I stared thinking about the things we stopped doing when we started living a green lifestyle. Anyone have anything to share? We stopped buying:

• shampoo (in favor of baking soda)
• conditioner (in favor of apple cider vinegar)
• laundry soap (in favor of soap nuts)
• canned foods (in favor of frozen)
• food in plastic containers (in favor of recyclable non-plastic containers)
• grocery bags (use reusable bags)
• plastic bottles of juice and pop (carry water bottles everywhere)

[bumplett]

* items in individual/small bags (instead buy in bulk bag & use recycled glass jars to store)

* regular toilet paper (instead buy recycled t.p)

* regular paper towels/napkins (instead use cloth napkins/rags for everything)

* tupperware type bowls (instead reuse glass jars, like pickle jars)

* laundry detergent (make my own instead)

* fabric softener/dryer sheets (don't use at all anymore)

* bleach (don't use at all anymore)

* mouthwash (use liquid chlorophyll instead)

*cereal (make my own granola instead)

* vegetarian now. humane & green & frugal!

* use reusable bags for everything - even hubby uses them now

* work in progress is buying ebooks instead of regular books - but I certainly go to the library more often - books in general are a weak spot.

* never bought canned vegis much in the first place, I like the taste of frozen. Now, I try to buy farmer's market fresh, or grow my own. Winter time I buy frozen, need to work on freezing my own.

[akolb]

we also haven't used paper towels, napkins or disposable dishes or cups in years. Definitely saves us a ton. We also try to reuse all of our plastic food containers and haven't had to buy tupperware in a very long time.
I make my own windex and floor cleaner and use baking soda to clean a lot of stuff. I'm also vegetarian (BF isn't) and cook a lot from scratch with leftovers.
All of this stuff is just the way we live, I don't think of it as being especially frugal. But I do hate to think about how much more we would spend monthly if we relied on prepared food and other conveniences.

[shoiji]

No more paper towels unless someone gives me a roll.

No more water bottles unless someone gives me one.

[Spirit Deer]

We never did use a lot of bottled water. I think it tastes funny, and the idea of buying water in single servings... seriously? We did buy a case once in a while for camping. But last year I decided we needed a good drinking water system. I bought 11 stainless steel water bottles (on a good sale, of course) and put nine of them in a small carry bag we got free with a magazine subscription. We took them on a two-week trip last year and it worked great. The bottles are color-coded so we know whose is whose. The nine in the case were kept filled everywhere we found a park with good water, and there were always two in the cab of the truck while we were on the road. I'm never going back to icky plastic-tasting water again!

[Sophiasmama]

I make my own dishwasher detergent, cleaning supplies, and laundry soap.

[alotofgooddeals]

just wondering how you use baking soda for shampool...never heard of it...

After seeing all the things we stopped buying when we start living a frugal lifestyle, I stared thinking about the things we stopped doing when we started living a green lifestyle. Anyone have anything to share? We stopped buying:

• shampoo (in favor of baking soda)
• conditioner (in favor of apple cider vinegar)
• laundry soap (in favor of soap nuts)
• canned foods (in favor of frozen)
• food in plastic containers (in favor of recyclable non-plastic containers)
• grocery bags (use reusable bags)
• plastic bottles of juice and pop (carry water bottles everywhere)

[Debbie-cat]

Make own laundry soap and cleaning supplies
Make own toothpaste and deodarent
Use rags and cloth napkins
Hang clothes to dry
Do not buy pre-packaged foods
Make own bread and desserts
Use water from water barrels to water garden
Use refillable water bottles

I know there's more but that's all I can think of right now!

[Libby]

I'm a fan of the re-useable shopping bags and refillable bottles. I have a stainless steel one for water only and plastic ones for the gym and select plastic ones for all drinks other then water.

We do have plastic tupperware but still reuse margarine/yoghurt containers more often. I'm slowly trying to work this house into the glass containers.

We do try to eat 'whole' which means less or little processed foods which means less garbage/recycling. Still learning to cook things from scratch as well