Sick of the Snow Yet?

If you live anywhere near the East Coast, you've probably had your fill of snow this week. And supposedly there's more to come next week -- NOOOOOO!!!

It's funny how you don't think about what a snow day costs you (aside from the aggravation of your children fighting all day while you're trying to work from home and your husband is trying to dig out).

Here are some costs you may not have thought about:

• Sick or personal day if your job doesn't enable you to work from home
• Gas (if you're plowing your own driveway)
• Cost to pay a plow service
• Ice melt
• Snow shovel

Regardless of what it costs you, the pictures are usually priceless...

Doesn't look like we'll be gardening any time soon.

The kids couldn't get enough of the snow...in their mouths.

Valentine's Chocolate Choices

A better, luscious, chocolate choice for Valentine's Day

Chocolate is a beautiful thing. Aside from the fact that it tastes good, chocolate, especially dark chocolate, contains a dizzying mix of over 300 naturally occurring chemicals and compounds including high concentrations of flavonoids, (plant-based pigments that act as antioxidants, decrease inflammation, and lower blood pressure and cholesterol). 

Chocolate also is known to make us feel less depressed (thanks to substances that stimulate a pleasure center in the brain), and more alert (due to a substance often confused with caffeine).

But while chocolate has all these amazing qualities, there is a dark side (pun intended). Chocolate as most of us grew up with in the U.S., contributes to deforestation, loss of wildlife habitat, pesticide use and injustices such as forced slavery and child labor. Makes the idea of chocolate as a gift, a little less sweet.

Fortunately, more and more companies are voting for people-, animal- and planet-friendlier practices when it comes to chocolate and sourcing cacao from ethically and ecologically sound sources.

There are three things to look for if you want to choose chocolate with a clear conscience:

1.      Certified Organic means not only that the cacao beans are organic, but other ingredients like sugar and flavorings are as well.

2.      Certified Shade Grown. The reason? When forests are cleared in order to grow cacao, more chemicals are necessary and migratory birds are deprived of territory and begin to disappear. Shade grown coffee creates habitat for birds and contributes a diverse ecosystem. (Look for the Rain Forest Alliance Certification.)

3.      Fair Trade Certified. Workers harvesting the beans are paid and treated fairly

Is triple certified chocolate more expensive? Often, yes. But here's a suggestion. Instead of purchasing a heart-shaped box filled with chocolates that are not so good for your love or the planet, buy fewer, but make them count. 

Place them on a beautiful dish and set aside a time to enjoy them together with your love on Valentine's Day. Make eating them a premier event. Notice how beautiful they are. Unwrap each carefully, Inhale their aroma, then slowly let them melt on your tongue. Talk to your love about the sensation. A single chocolate--shared--and enjoyed in this full-sense way, can obliterate any thought of a big red box.

For the consumer this Valentine's Day, it's easier than ever to find chocolate that is Certified Organic, Fair Trade Certified and even Certified Shade Grown (though the last is not as commonplace as the first two). In this case, more is better. When you find chocolate with all three certifications, you know you've chosen the best, safest and most ethically produced chocolate for your love. 

But if you can find chocolate with two or even one certification, you're still making a better choice. And while you're buying, you can always suggest to the chocolate maker that you'd love to see their chocolate triple certified. 

You can make a difference by buying chocolate! Who knew? 

Top picks for great chocolate choices this Valentine's Day

• Lavender truffles from Sjaaks
• Dark ornage chocolate from Equal Exchange
• Dagoba's raspberry bar
• Endangered Species milk chocolate with peanut butter
  
  Lynn Colwell and Corey Colwell-Lipson are mother and daughter and co-authors of Celebrate Green! Creating Eco-Savvy Holidays, Celebrations and Traditions for the Whole Family, available at www.CelebrateGreen.net   

Frugal Tip Tuesday -- Create a Price Book

This week's tip is one I've been meaning to do since 2010 kicked off. And now I'm finally going to start it.

The best way to know whether or not you're getting a good deal is through a price book. What's a price book? Essentially, you track your most purchased grocery items and see what is the best price that you can get the item. When you see it at that price, you know to stock up.

It can seem overwhelming at first (hence the reason that I've waited so long.) To get started, pick your top five most purchases groceries. Then, create a column for the store name, price and weight. Tracking the cost per unit will enable you to get a more accurate view of the cost.

As you get more comfortable with your price book system, you can gradually add more grocery items. The best part of your price book is always knowing when you'll pay the lowest price.

Do you currently use a price book? How does it work? Any tips you'd like to share?

TGIF: Best Blog Posts of the Week

Let's celebrate Friday with some great green and frugal blog posts. From recipes to money-saving tips, you'll find it all right here:

• 13 Ways to Lower Your Electricity and Natural Gas Bills

• Roasted Zucchini, Tomatoes, Garlic & Onion Recipe

• 7 Organizing Myths Debunked

• Amazing Uses for Baking Soda

• A Complete Guide to Lowering Your Water Bill

Did you see any posts that I may have missed? Let me know!

Frugal Tip Tuesday -- Hit Those Sales

As a Green and Frugal Momma, I try to limit clothes shopping for myself (it's such a weakness of mine). However, over the past few days, I've hit some amazing sales where I was able to get discounted, high-end clothes for a fraction of what they normally cost. Plus, I got a bag full of clothes for my kids at Children's Place for free!! (Okay, almost free...but I consider gift card shopping 'free').

Tues., Jan. 26 -- Children's Place
I head to Children's Place to use a $25 gift card that my daughter received as a birthday gift. My son desperately needs jeans (nearly every pair have a hole in one knee and they're short (aka floods), so I also check out what's available in his size. The prices are considerably marked down. Boys jeans on the sale rack are $7.99 (a bargain from the original $19.50 price). However, when I get to the register, every single item rings up for $3.99. So I run around the store like a crazy lady grabbing more clothes.

Final spend: $24.62
What I bought: 2 shirts and one pair of jeans for my daughter and four pairs of pants (cargo pants and jeans) for my son.


Wed., Jan. 27 -- Talbot's
Next stop is Talbot's. They feature lots of 50% signs, so I head right back to the sale racks. The 50% discount is for the lowest marked price. Score!

Final spend: $80
What I bought: lime green sweater twin set, two ruffled button-down cardigans, sequined burgundy shell/tank top (most of these items are normally $40-$80 a piece)


Thurs., Jan. 28 -- Ann Taylor
I had plans to meet a girlfriend for dinner at a restaurant in the Shops at Riverside, one of the more high-end malls. It includes Tiffany's, Louis Vitton, Coach, Burberry, etc. I head straight for one of my favorite stores -- Ann Taylor. Once again, I make a beeline for the sale racks. And once again, I score paydirt.

Final spend: $60
What I bought: black trouser pants, gun-metal gray sweater with funky ruffles down the front and a fuschia shell with cap sleeves. The pants were $19 (normally $80), the sweater was $29.99 and the shell was $9.88 (normally $65).


If you haven't figured out this week's tip, it's this: this time of year the stores are turning over their winter merchandise in preparation for the spring collections. Head for the sales racks and work those deals!!

Any recent sales where you scored a major deal? We want to hear about it!!