Cut Clutter

Getting rid of clutter is a quick and easy way to make a home more fabulous without buying a thing. And, the ecobenefits are immediate: less clutter=less mess=less stress.

I devote one day a week to dealing with the following clutter causers:

Magazines I am letting all my subscriptions run out. Between the library, beauty salon, and waiting rooms, I get my latest fix of glossy news. I am still addicted to my monthly Oprah, but I do not let the magazines pile up. After reading them, I give them to friends or drop them off at the cancer center.

Mail Most of my bills are paid online and I email or telephone family and friends. But, I still receive junk mail. I no longer bring the junk mail into the condo; I deal with it at the mailbox area in my condo building. Since I do not plan to read the material, I dispose of it immediately.

Paper Each day, I start a number of writing projects. I am either researching or writing drafts of articles. At first, there were papers strewn about and it was very time-consuming and frustrating to find anything. That changed when I set up a filing system. Whenever I start a new article or story, I immediately create a file folder for all the research and drafts. I keep a few of these folders on my desk and file the rest away in a cabinet.

Clothes I have always kept up with the laundry and ironing. When I was working, I would do laundry on Saturday and iron Sunday evening while watching television. As a result, I was able to select from my entire wardrobe each day. I have kept this habit in retirement.

Thrifty Tips--Taking Baby Steps

As I continue on my frugalista journey, I realize that taking baby steps and easing into new green habits is becoming addictive. Change does not have to be uncomfortable and unsettling. The following suggestions are very easy to implement on a daily basis:

Flip the switch. Each time, I leave a room I turn off all the lamps and lights. In the past, I enjoyed being welcomed to my condo by a well-lit entrance, but those few seconds of illumination are not worth the wasted energy.

Toss it in the Purse. Whenever I pick up a lipstick, jewelery or any other small item, I decline the glossy, logo-bedecked bag that is often offered. Most of these bags are a mixture of paper bags and plastic laminate; neither one is especially good for the environment. If I do receive one of these glossy bags, I reuse it as a gift bag.

Go Cold. I have always done my laundry in cold water. It is more efficient since 90% of the energy consumed by washers is used for heating the water. And, I have found that my clothes do not fade as fast.

Shut the Water Off. I was shocked to learn that the average faucet runs through three gallons of water per minute. If I leave it on for the dentist-recommended two minutes, twice per day, that's 12 gallons a day--4,380 gallons per year--going literally down the drain. So, now I shut the water off while I'm brushing my teeth. I am also trying to keep the faucet off as much as possible at other times, i.e. washing dishes, cleaning the bathroom.

Going Vintage

Vintage is a style for fashion nostalgic women. It represents a time period, a cultural expression of an era through fashion. Generally speaking, items from the early 1920s up the mid 1970s classify as vintage.

Buying vintage clothes is another way to personally cut down on the use of resources. Clothes that already exist are not using up any more resources or materials; they are simply waiting to get their chance in the spotlight all over again.

I am planning to visit my first vintage shop within the next few days. I must admit it is a bit intimidating and I am concerned about the quality of the items. Also, I do not want to get ripped off.

I appreciated the following tips I received from friends...

Start small. Look for an accessory that fits your style.

Don't be afraid to haggle. Start at a lower price and be willing to meet the dealer somewhere in the middle.

Do your research. If you are looking for a specific designer or item, it pays to know the going rate.

Take your time. Carefully look through the racks and bins;You may discover hidden treasures.

Try different sizes. Clothing sizes have changed through the decades.

Check for flaws. Inspect the clothing for any stains or tears, missing buttons, and moth holes. You can use flaws in an item as a negotiating tool.

Be adventurous. Go outside your comfort zone and try a new style.

Inspiring Quotations

I strongly believe that words can influence how we feel mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. I like to lift my spirits with the following quotations:

Prosperity is just around the corner.
Herbert Hoover

We are each gifted in a unique and important way. It is our privilege and our adventure to discover our own special light.
Mary Dunbar

It's time to put thoughts of lack behind us. It's time for us to discover the secrets of the stars, to sail to an uncharted land, to open up to a new heaven where our spirits can soar.
Sarah Ban Breathnach

Our thoughts and imaginations are the only real limits to our possibilities.
Orison S. Marden

Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see the shadow.
Helen Keller

If you're happy, you're wealthy! Happiness doesn't need a bank account.
Sister Mary Christelle Macaluso

Thrifty Tips--On the Road

I seem to be attracting a number of thrifty tips. When it comes to the automobile, I feel the need to become a gas-sipper as opposed to a gas-guzzler.

I liked these tips...

• Drive the speed limit. For every 5 mph you drive above 60 mph, you are paying an additional ten cents per gallon for gas.
• Use cruise control on the highway. You can improve fuel economy by driving at a steady speed.
• Keep tires properly inflated.You can improve gas mileage by around 3.3% by keeping your tires inflated to the proper pressure.
• Avoid quick starts and stops, don't tailgate, and don't idle.
• Fill your tank at night, as there will be less evaporation. It will also reduce emissions during the peak daylight hours when ozone formation is most likely to occur.
• Park in the shade. The heat of the sun causes toxins to evaporate from the fuel tank of your car.
• Don't use conventional antifreeze--it is very toxic. Try to get some made from propylene glycol, which is less toxic, or use recycled antifreeze.
  

Comfort Foods--Italian Style

As a budding frugalista, I take great delight in any dish that is inexpensive, uncomplicated, and easy to prepare. Growing up in an Italian home, I loved all the pasta dishes. I especially liked those that provided comfort and warmth during the cold, snowy days of winter.

This past winter has been an extremely cold one, and I find myself gravitating towards the following two pasta dishes:

PASTA E PATATE
(Pasta and Potatoes)

Ingredients

4 medium potatoes
2 cups of pasta (ditali)
4-6 tbsp tomato sauce
1 tbsp butter
1 tsp salt

Procedure

• Dice the potatoes.
• Boil water in a medium-sized saucepan and add potatoes.
• Cook for one minute.
• Add pasta and cook for 15 minutes or until pasta is done.
• Drain some of the water.
• Add sauce, butter, and salt.
• Cook for an additional 5 minutes.

Makes 4 servings.

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PASTA E FAGIOLI
(Pasta and Beans)

Ingredients

1 can (19 oz) romano beans
2 cups pasta (ditali, orecchiette or shell pasta)
1 tsp salt
3 tbsp tomato sauce
2 tbsp oil oil

Procedure

• Boil water and add pasta.
• Cook past for 7-8 minutes or until al dente.
• Drain any excess water leaving about 1" above the cooked noodles.
• Drain beans and add to the saucepan.
• Add oil, tomato sauce, and salt.
• Cook for an additional 7 minutes.

Makes 4 servings

Sharing Recipes--Stuffed Peppers

Frugalistas eat well because they cook from scratch. When I visited my mother during the holidays, we decided to resurrect and revamp one of her tried and true recipes--stuffed peppers. We made a few changes and treated the rest of the family to stuffed red peppers on Boxing Day. This recipe can be prepared 1-2 days earlier and then quickly heated in the oven or microwave.

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds ground beef
6 medium red or green peppers
1 chopped onion
butter
1 eggplant (peeled and cut up)
2 eggs
2 cups grated cheese
1 bread slice (dipped in milk)
1 cup bread crumbs
Salt
Pepper
Oregano
Onion Salt
4-5 tbsp tomato sauce
Additional tomato sauce (optional)

Procedure

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Parboil the peppers in boiling, salted water for 5 minutes. Drain and let cool.
• Heat butter and onions in a large frying pan.
• Add the ground beef and cook until brown. Drain and place in a bowl. Save the butter/onion mixture.
• Parboil eggplant in boiling water for 5 minutes. Squeeze out the water.
• Saute the eggplant in the butter/onion mixture.
• Add to the ground beef.
• Squeeze bread slice and cut up in small pieces. Add to mixtures.
• Add bread crumbs, grated cheese, salt, spices, and tomato sauce. Mix well.
• Fill the peppers and place on a greased tray.
• Bake for 30 minutes.
• Optional--After 20 minutes, you may wish to place a bit of tomato sauce on top of each pepper. Continue baking for 10 minutes.
  

Makes 12 stuffed peppers.

Unbottle It!

Last week, I decided to go out on one of the coldest nights of the year to hear Canadian author and activist, Maude Barlow, speak about public water in Ontario. Barlow and CUPE president, Sid Ryan, are on a 15-city tour of Ontario. According to Barlow, "The main goal is to protect Ontario's water, to keep it clean, to put money into infrastructure repairs, and to really promote safe, accessible, clean water in our province."

I was very impressed by Barlow's ability to articulate all the issues that needed to be addressed. It is not surprising to learn that she has been named Senior Advisor on Water Issues by the President of the United Nations.

So what did I learn?

• The bottled water industry is a highly polluting one. Millions of barrels of oil are guzzled in the manufacture, transportation, and disposal of these plastic water bottles.
• In Ontario, only about 35% of water bottles are recycled. That means that 650 million bottles end up in landfills, along the side of the road, or bobbing in lakes and rivers where they could take thousands of years to decompose.
• Bottled water is not as well regulated as tap water. Tap water is tested for hundreds of contaminants thousands of times a year. In the city of Toronto, water is tested every 4-5 hours. Bottled water is tested at most once a year; usually once every three years.
• Bottled water is anywhere from 200 to 3000 times more expensive than tap water.

A New Beginning

I liked the sound of the new word. But, it wasn't really a new word. It had been first introduced in 2004, but never gained in popularity until this past year when it seemed to better fit the times.

A frugalista is defined as a person who lives a frugal lifestyle but stays fashionable and healthy. It appears to be a feminine word, but it could be non-gender. i.e. I am in frugalista mode. It is also non-age specific. It seems to fit everyone from the tofu-munching college student to the fashion-conscious grandma. Frugal is the new black: it is popular by demand, and, for many of us, a necessary life choice.

A few weeks ago, I decided to embark on my own frugalista journey. This is my first full year as a retiree, and I feel the need to make a number of changes in my life. My teacher pension is a very comfortable one, but it is fixed income, and I need to become more aware and conscious of my everyday choices.

Being frugal is so much more than just saving money. It's also about not wasting valuable resources and time. I want to spend my time--and my life--in such a way that I continually enhance my physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual health.