Green Cheap, not Green Peace

As I said before, I'm not into this whole "mother earth" thing and "Green Peace" whatever that is. However, I am into going green not only to improve my health and take care of God's earth, but also to save some money. I compiled a list of ways to save money and they're rather green:

1. Cloth Diaper More
2. Use Cloth Wipes
3. Cloth Maxi Pads (they're amazingly comfy)
4. Avoid Paper Towels (in fact, I decluttered my countertop by getting rid of the paper towel holder and putting the paper towels in the same drawer as my cloth rags. Now, when I need to clean something up, I'll be more likely to grab the rags than the paper towels.)
5. Make my own laundry detergent (this is going to be harder because it does take a small effort)
6. Use home-made cleaners (I really like the homemade glass cleaner made from white vinegar, rubbing alcohol and water. It's actually a great all-purpose cleaner, too)
7. Make my own yogurt and cottage cheese. (Tastes better, it's healthier and cheaper)
8. Lanolin for chapped hands and lips. (I just buy the lanolin tube for nursing moms. It lasts forever and works great!)
9. Avoid cold cereals and processed foods. (Not only can they jack up the grocery bill, but they're not very healthy either...stick with oatmeal and eggs)
10. East more soups (good and good for you and a great way to use cheaper cuts of meat)
11. Be careful of electricity use (we have a tendancy to put lights on in rooms we don't use)
12. Battery-powered clock for the kitchen (right now I have a clock radio and that's an energy-drainer and it clutters my countertop)
13. Line dry as much as possible

14. Facial Care: Look into non-paraben, safer, cheaper, but effective methods. (I've tried various products from stuff at Walmart to Burt's Bees to Mary Kay to Dead Sea to now I'm currently using DHC.

Walmart stuff: I like St. Ives, but a lot of the other brands are too stripping and many contain parabens and other harmful chemicals, or I just can't find exactly what I'm looking for.

Burt's Bees: kinda pricey, hard to find, and not effective. The shampoo doesn't work very well on my hair.

Mary Kay: very pricey, doesn't have all of what I'm looking for, stripping and not effective.

Dead Sea: Horribly pricey, works great for a while and then just not what I'm looking for.

DHC: Love this stuff, but a lot of it has parabens in it. A bit pricey, but cheaper than Mary Kay.

So, I'm wondering if the good old fashion stuff works the best. So, I'm looking for cold cream for make-up removal, Scottish lye soap for facial cleansing (see my side-bar for the link), witch hazel for toner, and I need to come up with a great, natural moisturizer.

I don't like spending a lot of money on cosmetics, however, I have high-maintenance skin.

Comments

Courtney said…
Would you mind sharing how you make your cottage cheese? I've been making yogurt for a while now, and I'd like to branch out a bit! Thanks, Kate!
Mimi said…
I love my cloth pads (my goodness, what we will share on a blog, eh?)

And, have you looked into Sensaria.com? They are a direct sales company of natural products, I LOVE them.
Anonymous said…
Wow, according to your list, I'm accidentally green. I'm just doing it to save money and improve health. :-P

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