Green & Frugal Savings Tip: Stash the $5 Bill

How many times have you tried to stash away cash in order to save money? I know every time I've tried that method, I'd quickly spend the cash when I need money for the babysitter, pizza or other cash "emergency." The trick was to outsmart myself and I think I found a way. The key is to not be able to

readily spend or access the money.

Here's how it works:

1) Get an empty water bottle.

2) Each time a $5 crosses your path (or wallet), stuff it into the empty water bottle.

3) If you want to really get creative, you could put photos of the things you're saving for on the water bottle as added incentive.

Voila! Instant, inaccessible piggy bank...it's ingenius really. The plan is to get to a point where I can't stuff one more bill into the bottle. At that point, I cut open the water bottle and use the money for whatever I was saving it for in the first place.

Currently, I need several pieces of furniture and other home decor. None of these items are urgently needed, so the $5-in-the-water-bottle system works perfectly. Here what I'm saving for:

• Headboard for our guest bedroom (approx. $200)
• Dining room table & chairs (approx. $1,500)
• Curtains for the dining room (approx. $300)
• Desk for the office ($200)

As you can see, there's no shortage of wants for my new-found savings.

What are your savings tricks?

How to Use Paper Towels

If you've ever watched a TED Talk video, you know the speakers and the content are incredible. I recently came across a video that was simple, amazing and a perfect fit for Green and Frugal Living.

Watch this video and please leave a comment below to let me know what you think. 

It's changed the way I use paper towels and I plan on sharing this with my children so they begin to think about how they use them as well. Think about how much waste we can eliminate with this simple, yet powerful change...

Review: No Kidding Coupons, 99% Off

Summer is finally here! It's been awhile since I've posted, but I came across an interesting site that I think you'll enjoy.  

About No Kidding Coupons
No Kidding Coupons (NKC) is a new extreme discount coupon site that combines the best of what shoppers love about RetailMeNot, Coupons.com, FatWallet and Slickdeals with a gamification twist. It's a simple idea that makes coupon shopping fun AND rewards participants with extreme coupons and high discount promo codes!
 
At No Kidding Coupons, a 99% OFF coupon redeemable at a trusted shopping site like Amazon.com is the norm..."No Kidding," as NKC members often say.

How It Works
Members join No Kidding Coupons free of charge and earn points based on activities, contests and various site engagements. Next, members select the products they like and exchange points for deep discount coupons. Coupons can be used like cash to slash 99% off retail prices on hundreds of quality products. Check out this No Kidding Coupons VIDEO.

The more ways a member shares and engages, the more points they earn for future coupons. It's fun, easy and most importantly, it's almost free...no kidding. All kidding aside, members quickly discover the deals are real as they are extreme.

My Experience

I joined the site and was sent several emails explaining how the program works. Essentially, you get the products at a significant discount in return for a product review and social media promotion. I'm in the process of ordering a product to see how much time it takes to generate enough points to redeem them. 

I like the overall idea -- it almost seems to good to be true. I'm interested to see how much time is involved in purchasing, reviewing and acquiring a decent amount of points. But I guess you have to give a little to get this type of mega-discount.

Have you tried No Kidding Coupons? I'd love to hear about your experience. What did you like or dislike?

Green and Frugal Tip: Shop Clearance First...Always

I've slowly developed a taste for high-quality make-up and beauty products. I'm not sure where this new-found interest came from, but it's a habit I need to reel in. It doesn't help that I live very close to a recently opened Ulta beauty store.

How to Frugally Shop Ulta
Ulta sends reward coupons for free merchandise based upon on how much money you spend. When I receive my reward, I always grab as many beauty product coupons as I can and head right for the clearance section (s). I scored some great deals this time around.

For $16 (+ tax), I was able to get a bag full of goodies, many of which I'll be able to include in my 7-year-old daughter's Easter basket.

• Tablet cover
• Body lotion
• Snowflake nail file
• Two lip balms
• 14-day keratin treatment
• Sunscreen (for an upcoming vacation)
• Anti-frizz lotion
• Hair shine
• Hair spray
• Eyeliner

Below is my receipt and you can see that I had a $2 for the Got2B hair gel. It was on clearance for $1.62. I thought it would be a money-maker, but instead was free. The only item I paid full-price for was the egg lip balm. I had been wanting it for awhile after trying out my daughter's.

Shopping clearance isn't only doable at Ulta. I do this at any store I walk into, including grocery stores like ShopRite and discount stores like TJ Maxx. You never know when you'll stumble upon an item you've been searching for that happens to be in the clearance rack.

Here's another example: I had been looking for a mini whisk for months, but refused to pay $8-$10 for it. Lo and behold, after scouring the clearance rack at Bed, Bath & Beyond, I found one for $2.99. Score!! The best part is pairing your clearance find with a coupon. My little whisk ended up being $2.39 after I used a 20% off coupon. Every little bit helps!

Have you scored any hot deals in the clearance aisle? Nothing is more exciting than a good bargain!

Green and Frugal: Some Frugal Ideas for Holiday Gifts

With that, here's another great guest post from our friends at The Greenest Dollar:

It’s hard to believe the holidays are here again. And, like most of you, I’m trying to plan out some green and frugal holiday gifts for my friends and family. For me, going to the mall any time of year is a personal form of torture. But going around the holidays? Forget about it.

Same goes for pretty much any other retail outlet. Parking lots are jammed with people, traffic is bad, lines are long and most sales clerks are grumpy and overworked.

Who needs it?

Instead, all my gifts will either come from my computer, or from my kitchen.

Here are some ideas I’m considering:

1. A Groupon

Buying someone a cool Groupon can be a wonderful, frugal gift.

For instance, today’s offer in Detroit is $25 for $50 at American Apparel. If you have a friend or family member who’s nuts about American Apparel clothing, this would be a cheap way to let them get something they like at the store. And it only costs you $25.

You can buy Groupons to restaurants, pilates classes, spa treatments, teeth whitening…it really runs the gamut. And, most deals are 50%-80% off what you’d normally pay (which is why I love Groupon). But, you never know what’s going to come up, which is why you need to stay on the look out.

If you haven’t heard of Groupon, or don’t quite understand how it works, you can see my analysis of the site here.

2. A Restaurant.com Certificate

Restaurant.com is another place to score some deep discounts on eating out. I’ve bought several gift certificates through this site and all have worked out well.

Here’s how it works. Like Groupon, you “buy” a restaurant gift certificate through Restaurant.com. For instance, you might pay $3 for a $25 gift certificate to your favorite restaurant. You’re saving $22!

The only catch with Restaurant.com is that you have to read the fine print. Most restaurants have a caveat that says you have to spend a set amount of money, like $40, for the gift certificate to work. Make sure you read the terms and conditions carefully for each restaurant, as they’re all different.

I think this gift would work best as an experience. Instead of just giving your friend or family the gift certificate, tell them you’re taking them out to dinner with the Restaurant.com certificate. This way you can enjoy each others’ company, and they won’t have to pay a dime. And, you’re still getting a bargain.

Tip: Do NOT just go to Restaurant.com and buy a gift certificate for $10. This site always has coupon codes going. Do a search on Google for “Restaurant.com coupon code”. Most of the time, you’ll score a code that will give you an additional 70%-80%. This means that you might pay $2 for a $25 gift certificate. If you sign up for their email list you’ll also receive notices when their gift certificates go on sale (which is practically weekly).

3. A Pandora Membership

Do you have a friend, family member or close co-worker who loves Pandora? Why not get them a year-long membership to the site for $35?

Yes, Pandora is free. But you can only listen for 40 hours per month (sounds like a lot, but if you listen at work it’s easy to top this), and you have to listen to the ads, which can be highly annoying at times.

When you’re a member, you have unlimited listening time. You don’t have to hear any ads. And you’re supporting a worthy endeavor, since Pandora rocks.

4. Homemade Yummies

Several of my friends and family members are going to get boxes or baskets of handmade yummies this year. And if you have the time, giving handmade goods is one of the most frugal (and perhaps rewarding) gifts you can give.

Need some ideas?

If you like canning, Raspberry Wine Jelly is a great choice because it’s really simple, you can use frozen raspberries, and it tastes like a million bucks. You could also make Habanero Jam (which is the most delicious jam I made all summer). It doesn’t require seasonal ingredients, and it tastes incredible when paired with pears or a hard cheese.

If you want to bake some unique cookies, why not try Earl Grey Tea Cookies. They taste amazing, and they’re really unique.

Have a coffee lover in your life (I’m raising my hand here…). Why not make them some homemade biscotti? If you do this, contact me and I’ll send you my mailing address. Check out this great list of 20 Best Biscotti recipes from Allrecipes.com. Another cool idea? Put the biscotti in an old coffee can and tie with a vintage ribbon.

Making someone a freezable dinner is also a unique and thoughtful gift. After all, most of us are super busy during the holidays. Wouldn’t it be great to be able to pull out a delicious dinner we didn’t have to cook ourselves? Real Simple has a great list of freezable dinners here.

5. A Reusable Shopping Bag

If you know anyone who hasn’t gotten on the reusable shopping bag bandwagon, now’s the time to get them on board? Find a cool one you think they’d love and gift away. Reusable shopping bags also make an awesome gift bag, as well.

Some of my favorite bags come from BlueQ Bags.

Last Word…

I’d love to hear back from you on this. What frugal holiday gifts are you planning? Also, if you have some ideas for homemade yummies, I’d love to hear them! I’m mostly doing homemade this year and would love some inspiration.

 
Get 10% off sitewide when you shop at www.AccessHydro.com. Valid until December 31, 2013.

How Colorful Outdoor Lights Can Help Set the Right Mood

Lighting is one of the best and easiest ways to create different atmospheres for your garden. Sometimes you want it to be lively and bright, maybe for a party, while at other times you want it to be more intimate and dim. If you have the right kind of lights, it is always easy for you to set the right mood.

1. Kerosene lanterns
These are great for a private setting where the lighting is meant to provide a romantic atmosphere. They don’t give out much light – similar to a candle. However, unlike a candle, they will not go out. The best part is that it is extremely easy to turn them off or move them to another location so you can bring the atmosphere with you wherever you go.


2. Origami lanterns
If you want your garden to have a distinctive and exotic look to it, you can set the right atmosphere with the help of origami lanterns. These have become very popular all over the world and immediately make us think of far away locations in Asia. This also means that they are very easy to find and are relatively inexpensive.




3. Tiki torches
If you are getting ready for a party and want to set the mood, there is no better lighting alternative than the tiki torch. It does not create a lot of light which is ideal for a party at night and it conjures up images of luaus and other exotic-themed parties.


If you are looking to make some improvements to your garden or patio, then www.yescomusa.com is the place to go. When you visit www.yescomusa.com, you'll find a large collection of products that come in all shapes and sizes. Browse at your leisure until you find exactly what you were looking for.

Note: This blog post is sponsored by YesCom.

Product Review: Mini Chocolate Fountain from TheLAShop.com

As you know, from time to time I get requests to review products and/or websites. So I'd like to introduce you to a site called TheLAShop.com.

Website: TheLAShop.com
The site design is very clean and they offer a variety of products, everything from party gear (disco balls, cotton candy machine) to home outdoor furniture. The LA Shop prices are very competitive and they offer free shipping within the U.S. and Canada. If you need assistance, there's an online chat and toll-free number.

Product: Mini Chocolate Fountain
My mini fountain arrived quickly and in pristine condition. It's a great little table-top chocolate fountain that would be ideal for holidays, small parties...or when the kids just want a chocolate fix.

The manual was easy to follow and there weren't many pieces, so set-up was a breeze. I was all ready to start melting chocolate until I realized you need 4 pounds of chocolate for the fountain to work properly. You also need special fondue chocolate, but the manual does provide guidance on how to make any chocolate work (add vegetable oil to make it a thinner consistency).

Unless you want to wait two hours, your best bet is to melt the chocolate in the microwave vs. letting the fountain do it. Once we had the chocolate melted, we poured it in and voila! We had a beautiful stream of glorious chocolate. The kids proceeded to put every morsel of food they could find in it. From marshmellows, to bananas, chocolate makes everything taste better.

Clean-up was pretty easy. The manual suggests throwing out the leftover chocolate in the garbage vs. clogging the plumbing. Considering how much chocolate was left, I put it in a container and stored it in the fridge for another day.

If you're looking for a fun way for you and the family to get a chocolate fix, this mini table-top chocolate fountain is it.

Disclaimer: Please note that this product was sent to me free of charge. That said, I always provide my honest feedback on any site or product I review -- good or bad.

Healthy Couponing for Families

Green and frugal also means healthy and frugal, which is why I think you'll enjoy this guest post from extreme couponer Jessica Hacker.

People sometimes associate coupons with processed, junky foods. But by using coupons creatively and planning, you can feed your family healthy meals on a frugal budget.

Buying organic means you are buying fresh, preservative-free food, which means the shelf life is minimal. This is okay, though. You can still stock up when you find a great deal and just freeze it! By doing this, I save money on gas and groceries. It also ensures that we make healthy food choices because I always have the products on hand.

Here are a few resources to help you find great deals on healthy products:

• Newspaper – The Sunday newspaper is your number one resource for coupons. Be selective in the coupons you clip. I choose to clip coupons for staples like breads, hot sauce, mustard, soy sauce, milk, eggs, sugar, sweetened condensed milk, soy milk, frozen vegetables, coffee, whole grain pasta, peanut butter, jelly and bagged salad.

• Online Coupons – Web-based coupon databases seem to have more health-based coupons than do Sunday newspapers. Safe and free databases I like to use are Coupons.com, Couponnetwork.com and Mambosprouts.com. These are great resources for printable coupons on products such as Muir Glen tomatoes, Birds Eye frozen vegetables and Organic Valley Dairy Products.

• Manufacturers – If you want a coupon for a specific product, the manufacture's website is the spot to find it. Almost every brand has a website and often has great coupons for their products that can only be printed from their website. Write or call the manufacture and ask for coupons. You will be amazed at what they send you.

• Online Shopping – Did you know you can buy “healthy” foods from the internet? I like to buy organic non-refrigerated products from Vitacost.com or Amazon.com. Vitacost.com is like a Whole Foods market on the internet. The site gives new members a $10 store credit and guarantees you will save 50 percent. Amazon.com has very competitive prices on bulk items. It offers a free program called Subscribe & Save that allows you to set up regular deliveries of products you want and get additional savings.

To maximize your savings with coupons, you need to use them at the right time. If you are not in need at the moment, wait for a sale price and then stock up!

Most stores have store coupons in their sale ads that can be stacked with a printable manufacture's coupon. This allows you to use two coupons on a single product. Also, some stores have double or triple coupon days which can make your savings huge!

Focus on couponing for toiletry items. Toiletries are among the most expensive things we buy, yet with coupons we are always getting them free or even making money! This saves money I can use to buy healthy foods for my family.

Eating healthy comes with a price. By getting toiletry and paper products free, making my own cleaning supplies and making my menu plan a priority, I save a fortune that balances out the cost of organic healthy foods!

NOTE: I'm an avid Vitacost fan. Another way to add to your savings is to sign up at Ebates.com. Currently, they're giving 12% cashback when you enter Vitacast from their site. Cha-ching!

About the Author: Jessica Hacker, 26, is a frugal lifestyle expert and mother of four who cut monthly shopping bills for her family of six from as much as $2,000 to $160 using coupons and penny-pinching prowess. Featured on TLC's Extreme Couponing and in other media, Jessica has inspired a following of people seeking practical ways to live on a tight budget. Her website www.livingonacoupon.com shares free information and resources to help people save money, plan menus and feed their families healthy meals, as well as webinars on how to live frugally available to anyone, anytime for $25. An avid hunter and angler, Jessica loves planning birthday parties, wearing high heels and cross country running. She and her family live in her hometown of Caldwell, Idaho.

Some Great Blog Posts Just for You!

I didn't realize what a slacker I've been lately. No posts since January? What's up with that? It's been a busy year (what year hasn't been busy?) Plus, I also maintain www.fitmomsofnj.com, www.acommunicationsolution.com, and www.allisonrjackson.com. Needless to say, it takes some time to keep up with all of them.

With that, I do have some interesting posts for you to check out:

• 30 Blogs to Help You Go to Prom on a Budget
• How to Save Money on Your Cable Bill When Times are Tight
• 30 Blogs with Tips to Actually Cut Your Grocery Bill
• The 10 Most Popular Tweets by Real-Life, Working Moms and Why You Might Tweet Them Too
• 20 Ways to Save on Your Child’s Next Birthday Party
• How to Save Money On Kids Clothes
  
• 20 Blogs with Easy Weekly Meal Plans for Families 
• 40 Blogs for Couponing Your Way to Vacation
• 30 Blogs on Healthy Eating for Moms

 From coupons and tweets, to saving money on your cable bill and kids clothes, you'll find it all in this list.

I promise to try and post more when I can. If there are certain topics you'd like to learn more about, let me know!

Top Blog Posts of the Week

How are we more than halfway through January already?!! It's been awhile since I shared the Top Blog Posts of the Week:

• Who's Ready to Save Money at Disney? Traveling with the family to Disney can break the bank. Here are some great tips to save money.
  
• 10 Ways to Save Money on Childcare Without Risking Quality Always an important goal for parents
  
• 30 Blogs to Get You Upcycling Recycle or upcycle, it's all about protecting the environment 

• 10 Tips for Teaching Children Financial Responsibility Great tips on what kids need to know

Did I miss any great posts??

 

In the coming weeks, I'm hoping to post some great info about household items, such as detergent, that you can easily made at home.

 

Stay tuned...

 

Happy New Year from Green & Frugal Living: Fun Projects for 2013

The New Year can be the time to think about projects that can be beneficial to the environment and also help you to save money by repurposing items that can, with a little imagination, be found almost anywhere. Thrift stores, yard sales, rummage sales and even the junk pile can produce items that can be repainted, and reused. Get the children involved and see what kind of imagination they can display. You will not only be helping to save resources but developing the creativity of kids, our most valuable resource. 

Here are some common items that can be turned into useful and attractive items for your home or office:

* Office Paper Holders – I’m a frequent reader of Aunt Peaches – marvelous blog with lots of craft ideas. Those upright racks can be painted any color and used for dish drying, plate storage, shopping bag holders, periodical rack and so much more.

* Plastic Bottle Squirrel Guards – eHow has this amazing solution. Hang your bird feeders on a line from one point to another as with a clothes line. On either side thread the pre-drilled bottles and add a clothes pin to keep them from sliding away. When tightrope walking squirrel reach them they spin causing the invaders to fall. They will eventually give up.

* Glass Bottle Light Fixtures – I recently found this on the Oregon Live website. All you need is an interesting bottle and a way to cut off the bottom. You can get a tool for it or try this. Tie a piece of waxed dental floss tightly around the place you want to cut. Light it on fire. Let it burn as long as possible then tap the spot with a metal object like the back of a knife. The bottom should fall right off. Then all you need is to thread a socket and S cord through the bottle and add a canopy. Be sure to use an LED or compact fluorescent lamp to go greener. You can also create ice buckets from larger glass bottles from vodka or other beverages this way by cutting around the upper portion just below the taper.

* Personalized Recyclable iPhone Cases –Tiny Prints, a leading online printing company, offers custom iPhone cases that are made from recyclable material. You and the children can select from countless personal designs, colors, and patterns and even add your own photographs to these environmentally friendly products. I have a case with a photo collage of my two, adorable little girls that they helped create.

* Other Bottle and Jar Uses – Another phenomenal idea from Aunt Peaches. Glass containers that are unusual of antique have more reuse possibilities than any other household item. A jar mason jar can be filled with coarse salt and used to hold a candle. It can also make an interesting and fun way to serve a drink. Old decorative bottles make interesting soap dispensers for the bath. The possibilities are endless try to get the kids to come up with new ideas. There are countless ways to both recycle and save that are available to anyone who looks online. Pinterest members are pinning new possibilities everyday. I recently saw a wine rack made by cutting the end off of a freight pallet and hanging on the wall. In this writers kitchen there is a basket from the handlebar of an old bicycle that is now used to hold fruit on a farm table. With a little thought and the desire to be green anyone can create a new use for an old items.

TGIF: Best Green & Frugal Blog Posts of the Week

I'm not sure where exactly October went. It was a blur of a month. Here we are just two short months from the December holidays. *Gasp*

But there's always time for some great blog posts. Check out this round-up and feel free to add any I may have missed:

• 5 Ways to Recycle Light Bulbs

• How to Know if You Can Afford to Stay Home with the Kids

• 10 iPhone Apps for Tracking Kids Nutritional Needs (I personally use and love Fooducate. Even the kids get into it.

• 10 iPhone Applications That Teach Kids About Money

• 99 Life Hacks to Make Your Life Easier (If you read none of the links, you must check this out. Great tips and tricks -- all provided with photos

Let me know what you think, especially about the Life Hack blog post. Happy Friday!

4 Easy Ways to Make a Small Business Environment Greener

The thought of going green as a business owner sometimes feels a bit lofty. With payroll and
larger expenses to worry about, knowing that going green will take large commitment of both
your finances and time, it often feels like something better left alone. However, there are plenty
of ways you can take charge as a business owner to make sure you're doing what you can for the
environment, and do it much more easily that you would have thought. Read on for some simple
ways to help your small business go green:

1. Use mugs instead of plastic or Styrofoam.
Using and re-using dishes in an office environment can get a little hairy. You never know how
well something has been cleaned, who has used it, and why that plate has been left in the sink for
two days. The trials and tribulations that often go along with sharing a kitchen space can just be
a little too distracting to bring into the workplace. So, you may have to provide things like paper
plates and plastic utensils just to keep the peace. But one easy way to help out where you can is
be mandating that employees bring their own mugs and use them every day, instead of providing
Styrofoam cups. This is a great way to cut down on your daily waste and keep one of the most
harmful landfill components out of the trash.

2. Recycle office-wide.
Make sure to place recycling containers throughout the office. If you only keep a place for your
recyclables in one area, employees will be less encouraged to head there every time they need
to throw a recyclable item away. Take the time to consider the work flow of your office, and
place recycling bins in corresponding areas. Place paper recycling under printers and next to
the trashcans near desks. Place plastic and aluminum in the kitchen. Also, consider purchasing
recycled paper products for your in-office needs.

3. Have employees turn off computers when they leave.
This simple step can save tons of electricity, depending on the types of computers you use in
your office. PCs use much more power than laptops, so, if your office depends heavily on PC
use, then you can save quite a bit of energy by taking moves to conserve power. And, with any
device, by turning the setting to sleep or hibernate, you will be using about a third of the power
you would normally use if you had kept it on, which is still significantly more than turning it of
all together. So, if possible, have employees completely shut down their computers when they
leave for the evening.

4. Don't print out what you can provide online.
Businesses get into the habit of printing out every important HR document, but there is no reason
to print anything out unless you actually need to. We may not think twice about the things we
print, but it really can be a waste of paper. Not to mention an unnecessary use of funds. Make
sure to speak with your office coordinator to let them know which types of documents should be
printed and which are better dispersed online.


Eliza Morgan is a full time freelance writer and blogger. She often writes forwww.businesscreditcards.com where she specializes in small and independent business topics. If
you have any questions, email her at elizamorgan856@gmail.com.

Four Free Outdoor Escapes to Reboot Your Green Spirit

Enjoy this guest post from John Egan...

When it comes to invigorating the human spirit, almost nothing beats time spent immersed in nature. Many of today's children are growing up with "nature-deficit disorder," a term coined by author and activist Richard Louv. Technology is not a substitute for the real-life experiences of exploring a pond, stream, or forest.

Finding a place to truly be surrounded by nature can be difficult, however, depending on where you live. Although simply watching two dragonflies play in the backyard can calm our nerves, there's an added benefit to getting to a place where no distractions exist from the natural world. City, state and even national parks are a great escape, but we often have to head far down a trail to escape the crowds.

In my travels, I've come to appreciate and enjoy the network of preserves owned and maintained by the Nature Conservancy. Unlike national and state parks, these sites are typically free to visit, an added bonus to families or individuals on a budget. Although they're easily searchable on the group's website, the preserves are well off of the typical tourist's radar, largely kept as local secrets.

If you're looking for an escape close to home or a chance to experience a city's underlying natural history on your next visit, here are four spots around the country worth visiting:

Hope Goddard Iselin Preserve -- Long Island, New York
Just west of Queens, this 42-acre preserve is free and open to the public during daylight hours. With deciduous forests left undisturbed for over 100 years, the woods of the Hope Goddard Iselin tract are an excellent place to find wild berries and birds, including white-winged crossbills and black-capped chickadees. Less than 30 minutes from the heart of New York City, the chance to disappear into the forest on a hiking trail is a rare treat and cherished escape.

Herrick Fen Nature Preserve -- Cleveland, Ohio
South of Cleveland, Herrick Fen offers a year-round respite into the much-vanished natural beauty of northern Ohio. Consisting of 140 acres with a boardwalk traversing over the boggy fen, the area is an herbalist's dream, full of St. John's wort, pennywort, goldenrod, and sundew (although the preserve asks that visitors stay on the trails and boardwalk to protect the species). The low-lying area was created by the slow progression of glaciers across the Great Lakes area. After a snow, the boardwalk can provide a protected traverse across a white wonderland, with the tracks of small mammals appearing throughout the preserve as they burrow through the snow.

Kathy Stiles Freeland Bibb County Glades Preserve -- Birmingham, Alabama
Just a short drive from Birmingham, this preserve is one of two places in the world to find the dwarf horse-nettle plant, a tiny flower that was believed to be extinct for 150 years until being rediscovered here in 1993. The Little Cahaba River flows through the preserve, which is open and free to visit during daylight hours. It's also home to the Brighthope Furnace, Alabama's earliest known ironworks, and trails through mature pine and hardwood forests.

Cosumnes River Preserve -- Sacramento, California
Minutes from California's capital city, the only remaining undammed river on the western slope of the Sierra Nevada mountains flows majestically and calmly through the valley. This massive 46,000-acre preserve includes hiking trails and canoe and kayak throw-ins, but biking and pets are not allowed, to protect the pristine natural environment. Wildlife flourishes here, including thousands of sandhill cranes who stop here during their migration. Hang out until sunset to watch the thousands of bats emerge from under the bridge over the Cosumnes River, and keep an eye peeled for otters playing in the water down below.


Take time to discover the beauty of the natural places where you live, and share your discoveries with your family. What hidden natural gems have you discovered close to home or on your travels?

John Egan is managing editor of the website Insurance Quotes, which provides online car insurance news and services to consumers in all 50 states. John's goal is to deliver high-quality content and Car Insurance Resources to drivers so they can make informed decisions about choices that affect their pocketbooks and their driving experience.

5 Eco-Friendly Green Living Tips That Save Money

Scientific evidence for global warming is clear and irrefutable. According to Worldwatch Institute, an organization that focuses on environmental issues, the steps that people can take to reverse climate change are simple and lead to cost savings. An awareness of the need to protect our environment will lead people to implement these steps on a daily basis.

1. Reduce Energy Usage

There are many things that you can do each day to reduce the amount of energy consumed by your household. Less energy usage will show up every month in the form of lower bills for gas and electricity. One thing is to lower your thermostat during the winter heating season and raise it during the summer cooling season. Another is to use cold water to wash your clothes in situations where warm or hot water is not needed. When the washing cycle is over, you can save energy and money by drying your clothes on an outdoor clothes line or on an indoor drying rack instead of using a gas or electric clothes dryer. One other energy- and money-saving thing you can do at home is to replace your incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs). These bulbs help to reduce greenhouse gases by going through about 75% less electricity than ordinary incandescent bulbs while producing the same amount of light.

2. Avoid Bottled Water

Bottled water is expensive, and it generates a great deal of waste that often times winds up polluting the environment. You can save a lot of money and cut down on environmental pollution by installing a water filtering device on your kitchen faucet. This way, you get pure water without having to spend money on bottled water.

3. White Vinegar

Commercial household cleaners frequently contain harsh chemicals that get flushed down the drain and into the public waterways. White vinegar is a cheap alternative to commercial cleaning agents, and it cleans and disinfects without causing environmental harm.

4. Automobile Usage

If at all possible, you should cut down on the use of your car by walking or biking to wherever you need to be. Driving less reduces the amount of greenhouse gases released into the environment, and saves you money because you need to buy less gasoline. In addition, walking and riding a bike can help to keep you healthy so that your costs for medical care can be kept to a minimum. 

5. Use Rechargeable Batteries

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, batteries contain toxic metals like nickel, cadmium, lead and mercury. Simply throwing batteries into the trash when they are used up can lead to environmental pollution when the toxic metals get into ground water or into the air if the disposed batteries are incinerated. Buying rechargeable batteries not only reduces environmental contamination but also saves you money on battery purchases over the long term.

It is important for future generations that every citizen be a good stewart of our environment by keeping our air and water clean and free of pollution. It is also important that we take steps to reduce the emission of the greenhouse gases that come from burning fossil fuels. Everyone has the power to help accomplish these goals by making a series of small lifestyle changes that in the aggregate have a very large positive effect on the environment. It is a happy coincidence that many of these changes also lead to significant cost savings.

Jan Spears writes about green living, personal finance & more at http://www.creditscore.net.

Best Blog Posts of the Week

How on earth is it Sunday already? Somehow Friday sneaked right by me, so this week's round-up will help you kick off a new week. I hope you enjoy this green and frugal blog posts:

• 5 Rules for Handling Hand Me Downs -- If you have young children, hand-me downs and gently used clothing is a fabulous way to save money. They outgrow their clothes so quickly!

• How to Throw a First Birthday Party on a Budget -- Kids birthday parties can break the bank, especially when you want to make their first birthday extra special. 

• 15 Easiest Baby Gifts to Make -- Love when you can make a gift. Not only can you save money, it makes the gift that much more thoughtful and appreciated.

• Extreme Couponing: Is It Worth It? -- I'm a big couponer, watch Extreme Couponing, and always wonder if my savings is worth the time investment.

Are there any posts I forgot? I'd love to know which ones you enjoy.

$5K in Savings: July Update

The summer is just flying by! Somehow we're already into August. Let's see how my little $5K savings experiment is progressing:


July Savings (as stated on the receipt)

Date          Store                            Total Spent        Savings (coupons and/or sales) 
July 1           ShopRite                                    $97.54                    $29.58
July 3         Five Below                         $20.33                  $5.00
July 8         ShopRite                            $143.92                $57.71
July 10       Bed Bath & Beyond             $68.66                  $12.00
July 13      ShopRite                              $68.78                  $9.24
July 14       A&P                                  $20.94                  $.70
July 16       ShopRite                            $141.03                 $78.22
July 23       ShopRite                            $139.14                 $56.88
July 23       Old Navy                           $66.16                   $39.88
July 27       ShopRite                            $77.30                   $10.59
July 28       Michael's                            $18.68                   $4.00
July 29       ShopRite                            $21.94                    $51.67


TOTAL SPENT = $455.47


I'm still striving for $400+ per month in savings hit the $5,000 mark.

Here's how the year is shaping up:

Jan. $481.66
Feb. $502.31
Mar. $585.83
Apr. $375.69
May $214.63
Jun. $347.64
July $455.47

TOTAL SAVINGS TO DATE = $2,963.23

So I'm now more than halfway. I need $2,036.77 in savings before Dec. 31, 2012 to reach my goal.

Stay tuned for more updates. I'd love to hear your tips on how I can save even more. Any tips for me?

Ready to Win? Enter the Green and Frugal Living Giveaway

It's be awhile since we've hosted a giveaway. As someone who struggles to organize my meal prep, grocery shopping and menu planning, I think you'll enjoy our giveaway sponsor, FoodOnTheTable.com.

Food on the Table is both a web and mobile service that creates meal plans and generates grocery lists. After selecting food preferences and dietary needs, members can choose from various recipes that fit their lifestyle, and Food on the Table automatically builds a grocery list for each item needed. It then goes a step further by showing the user local sales on grocery list items. There is a free membership, but the paid membership gives you access to thousands of recipes and allows you to plan meals for a full week. It is meant to take the stress out of meal planning by providing recipes, organizing a grocery list, and fitting into your budget.

Food on the Table sounds like an ideal solution to organizing those frenzied evenings when you're trying to figure out what to have for dinner and then what you need from the store. What's not to love?

If you're interested in participating in the giveaway for a Food on the Table membership, here's what you need to do:

1. Follow @allyjackson on Twitter
2. Tweet about the giveaway
3. Sign up for the Green and Frugal newsletter
4. Follow the Green and Frugal blog
5. Leave a comment below and let me know which of these you've completed.

For every step you take, you'll be entered into the giveaway. So you could have 5 possible entries.

The giveaway will end Aug. 12 at midnight. Winners will be announced by Aug. 15.

Good luck!!!

Top Blog Posts of the Week

The summer is flying by! It's been awhile since I shared the Top Blog Posts of the Week:

• Who's Ready to Save Money at Disney? Traveling with the family to Disney can break the bank. Here are some great tips to save money.

• Saving Money in an Era of Record-Low Interest Rates Some great tips from Frugal Dad.

• Can't Get a Job? Get a Microjob. Love this post's take on freelancing from Get Rich Slowly.

• Is It Worth to Build a Green Home? BeingFrugal.net tackles some of the key issues surrounding building a green home.

These are the just a few great articles. I'd love to hear from you. What posts did you enjoy this week?

Enjoy your summer and stay tuned for more green and frugal tips!

What to Expect in Your Wallet’s Future: Frugality in the New Age

Once upon a time there was something called a wallet, which was used for holding cash, and something else called a phone which was used for conversing with people from far away. 

Technologies are developing at speeds that are no short of jarring, and today wallets and phones are no longer what they used to be.  Now you can use your phone to send email, plan your day, check the stock market, get cutting edge news, and wake you up in the morning amongst many other things.  Wallets too are going digital, and they are no longer going to need to be huge eyesores that men put in their back pocket, they are going right into the phone along with everything else. 

The Giants
I want to tell you about two of the payment processing giants, PayPal and Google, and how they are creeping out of cyberspace and into your wallet.  PayPal and Google have each released their respective versions of the newest concept in offline shopping.  The mobile wallet is a sort of hybrid payment processing concept that allows the consumer to have internet-like capabilities when shopping offline. 

Features
Here are some of the features of the mobile wallet…

• Security -- The security code makes the mobile wallet more secure than a regular wallet since, even if it is lost or stolen nobody can use it without knowing the code.



• Convenience -- In many cases it is easier to pay for things using the mobile wallet, often allowing shoppers to skip the check-out counter altogether.



• Financial Organization -- PayPal actually allows you to change your payment options even weeks after a purchase is made.  For instance, if you purchase something through Mobile PayPal with a visa card and without indicating that you want to pay in installments, you can change your mind later on and pay with a MasterCard with installments. 



• Price Comparing -- Through a mobile it is now possible to scan a barcode on a product and find out about other stores in the area that offer the same product, including being able to compare prices.



• Frugality in the New Age -- While the basic concepts of living frugally, like spend less than you earn, will probably never change, frugality strategies will need to develop with the times.  One way of preventing the inevitable difficulties of dealing with a mobile wallet is simply to avoid using that option.  But since there are definite financial advantages to using a mobile wallet let’s consider how best to use a mobile wallet frugally.
  
  Don’t spend money that you don’t have.  The newest PayPal advertising campaign is “Buy now pay later,” since even PayPal is now offering the option to users to purchase things without processing the order until later.  For anyone that reads this blog, the dangers should be obvious.
  



• No Impulse Buying -- The mobile phone is making self-control more and more difficult for consumers since merchants can now send offers to mobile phones in their vicinity.  



• Bargain Hunting -- Being able to compare prices by scanning bar-codes means that you can always find the best deals.  I just have two things to say about that though. If you find something that you like in one store and it is $5 cheaper in another store across town, considering the cost of time and transportation makes the “cheaper” item more expensive.

Be fair to stores, even though we all want to be more savvy consumers, if somebody helps you to find what you want at a store that is an expense for the store.  If the store is offering the product for a fair price it is arguably unethical to go and buy it somewhere else.

My suggestions and observations are certainly subject to debate, if you have anything to
add to what I said I would love to hear from you in the comments section.

Author’s Bio:
Rachel Walker is a FastUpFront Blog contributor and business consultant. FastUpFront.com offers an alternative to a small business loan based on future sales.