Thoughts

On ivillage, there's a discussion about e-cards for Christmas going on. Honestly, I am not totally against e-cards if it's just to say Hello, or to cheer someone you met online up. But for Christmas? The traditional gal in me says no. For once in the year, please let me go to the mailbox and come back filled with joy, because there's something else than bills in it. I love exposing my cards, putting them up. If all of this is replaced by e-cards, what should I do? Create a slideshow and put my computer screen next to the christmas stockings, and constantly play the slideshow? Yes, e-cards are for sure a greener option. I would like to meet in the middle tho, using recycled paper, and since most people who are getting a card, are people I see on a regullar basis, so I will just hand out the card myself along with a few homemade cookies. The only card I really do HAVE to send is my paternal grandma's because she's living in The Netherlands. The e-card option is not an option for her either because she doesnt have internet access. She doesn't even have a computer.

To stay on the Christmas topic, do you have friends and/or family members who "Don't want anything" for Christmas, but you'd feel too bad about really not giving anything? Why not do something for a good cause in their name? I got this idea while browsign some more on the Transfair site. They have a Holiday section called Gifts of Fairness. I won't write down all the options you have, but I hope this made you curious enough to check it out yourself!

By the way, since I just changed this entire layout, I will have to redo my entire link list... Not that it was that big, but I kind of put that list on my blog to be able to keep track of everything and to make sure not to lose the link... fun fun...

I have come to realize that I almost only post about being green, and not so much about being frugal, and not at all about FlyLady.
Well, I am still doing great! My place looks presentable, and there's no longer the CHAOS (Can't Have Anyone Over Syndrome) that used to reign in my place for quite a while now. I am being good at doing my dishes daily and doing one laundry cycle a day when needed. I will only do them when full.

Oh well, I am off again now, probably back later tonight.. tataaa

Freegans

Browsing around the net earlier today, I found out there are people called freegans on this earth.I have never heard that word before, so I got a little curious about it. It definately sounds interesting. I knew a lot of stores were tossing stuff, btu never thought about actually picking that up. On top of that, I think even if I did, my husband wouldn't be too happy about it. He will even throw a fit about handmedowns for the kids, so let alone taking food out of a dumpster. However, and he shouldnt know about this, I drove through a small town with my companys' van a few months ago. That day they were picking up the trash in that town and I saw this lady just put a few plastig bags, and a few diaperboxes full of kids clothes next to her trashcan. So I stopped driving, took a look (nothing OUT of the bags and boxes, just a brief look) and realized some of these clothes were exactly the sizes my kids needed. I asked if I could take them and she ws alright with that, so I grabbed a bag and a box of which I saw contained most of the stuff we needed right now. Before unpacking everything, I kept telling myself I would be deceived because the stuff maybe wouldnt be nice. But I wasn't. There were even a few things with the tags still on them. Others looked to me like:"Washed once, ironed, hung into the closet and forgotten there". And the thing I would never ever have thought: Most of the things were pretty expensive brands and there wasa little of everything. Sweaters, jeans, PJ's, T-Shirts. The only things I didnt use was the underwear because wearing someone elses underwear is a no no to me. There were also a few items for girls, so I passed those on to a coworker of mine. And that's how I made it through this winter season without buying clothes for my kids... lol. Okay, I admit it, two pair of jeans and two sweaters (new) is what my oldest got for his birthday, and everything was still 50 per cent off during the sales :p There were also a few things he can wear next winterseason, and who knows what I come across until then. My husband didnt even realize I didnt buy the stuff I got for free. He totally thought all of this was new and always compliments on how good his boys look in these cute outfits. hehe. He is a little materialistic, while I am not. I like to look good, I like to be dressed in nice clothes, but it definately doesnt have to be brand for me.

Stretching the Euros

I am kind of dissapointed. I found a recipe on how to make your own laundry detergant online. To be sure I have the right ingredients, I wanted to place an order online. But that online store won't ship to my country, but only inside of the US. Makes me kind of mad. I mean, I do understand that eventually, since those are big, heavy boxes, the shipping costs might explode, but I just don't like not having the choice to place or not place my order. I just try to keep telling myself that once I'd seen the shipping costs, I would have thought:"No Way!" and closed the tab.

Tomorrow is St Nicks and my 4 year old is actually very excited. My 1 year old doesnt really understand it, so he doesnt care for it at all. My mom used to have these paper plates she used each year. I admit I was looking for these in the stores, but couldn't find any. Then, I decided that they were probably not the greenest choice anyways, so I just used my porcellain plates. Saved that money, storeage space and did something for the environment again! Yay!

Right now I am checking online on what's on sale in what kind of shop. I totally refuse getting the commercials into my mailbox now because of the paper waste. On top of that they put it into a sealed plastic bag, and I am just trying to get rid of as much plastic as possible in my life.

While taking a look, I also realized that Dove are offering refill kits for their hand soaps, which I think is a great thing to do!I started on using soap bars again a while back, basically because it saves some money. Esp if you have kids. How many times did one of mine just push on a plastic bottle of shower gel and it was empty already? Well, that can't happen with a bar of soap, right? A pack 3 bars of soap cost me 0.90 Euro over here, while one small bottle of showergel already costs 1.15 Euro. On top of that, one bar lasts so much longer than a bottle of showergel. That's how I basically make 2.45 Euro profit by using soap bars. What's 2.45 Euro you may ask? Well, it's cash! With being more frugal, I learned that every cent counts. Like my grandma used to say:"If you don't respect the cent, you aren't worth a dollar."

My dryer is running. I hate running it, but with the nasty weather outside, it would take forever to dry. Since my dryer gives back water, I collect it to water my plants or iron.

Well, it is 1am here right now, I am off to bed.

Transfair

I know it is Holiday season and I know budgets may be thighter righ tnow as they already are, however, looking at a poster today, I got a little reminder to pay attention on what and where to buy, because lots of items under the christmas tree are eventually made by hard working people who do not get paid the way they should. I tried Transfair products a few years back. I heard of it because I took part in a study about their services. Now, I am ashamed to admit I kind of neglected this habit because it cost me about one and a half euro more than the brands I used to buy, not thinking of the fact that, with being cheap THAT way, I am encoureaging childlabour and exploitation. I guess a few people I still have on my Christmas List will get a basket full of Transfair products. I didn't realize how much their offer got bigger by the years I didn't check on it!

Starting a new chapter

So, I guess it is time to start an entire new chapter of my life. I started FLYLady a while back and I am doing great. I tried being frugal for a while now, and I am doing great as well. On top of that, being frugal also led me to being more green, recycle, reuse etc. This proves my initial thought that being green was more expensive than not being so green, wrong.

I start this blog to celebrate the new me. There won't probably be much info of my personal life. It's just about my journey. I feel great about it and hope to eventually help people as well!


Edit to add:

Where's the catch at? It is 9.30pm over here and BOTH kids are asleep. I think that's the first time in months both are asleep around the same time. I take this chance to add what I couldn't write earlier due to the lack of time.

It is not my first blog I have online. I started one a few months ago, but did it in German language, however, noone even read it, I never got comments, so I ditched that one to start this one.

I went grocery shopping to Lidl today and had to take the car. I usually go to Aldi by foot, however, they were closed when DH came home. For once I insisted to go without the kids so I won't hear any "I want this, I want that" etc. On top of that I really wanted to do get some more little treats for St. Nicks which is on Saturday. Needless to say the kids aren't allowed to see that.

This year, I did my own advent wreath, based on the one we had last year. Last year, I saved the stramineous collar and the candles. So this year, I got some red/golden ribbon as well as a golden chain with glitter pearls and wrapped it around the collar. I put last years candles on it. Altho one of them is very very short, it still looks nice. I just lid the short one on the last Sunday before chirstmas, while I lid the longest one last Sunday. So that was a very cheap advent wreath this year, which I still plan to use next year and the following years. Next year I will probably need new candles tho. I am kind of glad I saved them because I checked several stores and didn't find any candles in christmas colors. I guess I was too late...

I noticed one thing tho; the candles in the "regullar" candle sections of the stores are much cheaper than in the christmas section. So, if you don't do the traditional christmas colors, I suggest you check the regullar candle section in the stores first. Last year, my mom did everything in the colors blue and silver. It was very beautiful as well, however, I am more for tradition since my husband and me founded our own small family.

I totally have to take the kids Christmas pictures in front of the Christmas Tree when they are in the mood.

Oh, before I forget it.. Have you wrapped all of your Christmas Gifts? If you haven't, don't forget to check if you can probably use something you have around your house! I found a few ideas on Instructables... You could maybe use a newspaper along with embellishments like cut outs or use stickers? Did you know you can make use an old tourist map to make a very original gift bag? Why not use a cereal box you no longer need? Or a brown paper grocery shopping bag? I have another one I didnt find online, but thought of myself (which doesn't mean noone else did have the idea before). If you got a cookbook as a present for someone, you could wrap it into a kitchen towel. I am sure you find more or can think of more once you are entertaining the idea of using things you would toss otherwise!

Well, I am off now.. see you!