Inexpensive ways to have a healthy, productive garden

It's that time again, time to plan what we will grow in our gardens and start saving items that we can use to get our gardens off to a good start.  Since this is about being environmentally conscious and doing in inexpensively I wanted to share with you how I keep my garden costs to a minimum.

To start seedlings I save toilet paper tubes.  I never put these in the recycling bin as I can use them to start my seedlings in and then plant directly into the ground where the cardboard will decompose without any harmful contaminants added to your soil.  It's so much easier to plant the entire container than to gently transplant the seedlings and easier on the plant as well.  

You could also use newsprint to make your own planters, just remember not to use any paper with colored print on it as those contain toxic dyes.  

Another cheap and easy is to use egg shells. When composting, animal products are not supposed to be composted. Egg shells are an exception but I still don't add them to the compost.  Here is a complete list of what you can compost and what nutrients they will add to your gardens.


Last night I crushed egg shells, I have friends and family save their eggshells which I crush into a fine powder with a mortar and pestle.  I store these in clean empty containers from mason jars to oatmeal containers until spring.  Once I have planted my seeds and seedlings I sprinkle the crushed egg shells over the top of the soil  As they decompose they add calcium to the soil for your plants but they also have another purpose I learned accidentally.

Many of my neighbors were complaining about the slugs in their gardens.  The slugs are every where here except my garden beds.  I had no idea why until one neighbor was looking at my beds and asked me what the white powder was around the plants.  When I told her it was crushed egg shells she laughed and said that was the reason I didn't have slugs.  They find the shells, even finely ground, to be sharp and avoid those areas.

If you don't have a mortar and pestle, don't worry you can grind up your shells in a blender or food processor.  

So start saving items now to have a healthy and productive garden.

Do you do anything special to have a productive garden?

Reducing the Toxins We Sleep With

It would be nice if organic bedding was inexpensive, but it's not yet at a price I would be willing to buy a set or two for every person in a home. Even being single seeing the high price for organic cotton or bamboo sheets makes me do a double take.  

The costs of chemical free pillows and mattresses isn't any better. Yet, there is a way to reduce the amount of toxins on your bed by knowing which materials contain the least amount of chemicals.  

When deciding where to put your money I would begin with the sheets and pillows first.  A good mattress pad between the mattress and the sheet will help reduce your exposure to the chemicals in the actual mattress.  If you are suffering from autoimmune illnesses, check this list, you may want to replace your mattress as well.

If you can find vintage sheets you are very lucky as these were normally mended until they were unable to be mended any longer and then turned into rags or other items from the good sections remaining.  

The next best alternative to organic sheets is to know which sheet fabrics are least treated with chemicals.  Contrary to popular thought, buying Egyptian cotton sheets, or other pricey alternatives, does not guarantee you a healthy night sleep.

The sheets with the least chemicals added to them just happen to be flannel and cotton jersey ones.  

For a list of the chemicals you want to avoid sleeping with and some of the best places to purchase bedding check out MetaEfficient.  While I hate to suggest a big box, Target sells organic sheets for as low as $27.

One last tip, always, always wash bedding and clothes before using them.

Learning a Few Skills will Save Money

There are only a few skills you need to live well on little.  

• How to use a hammer.
• How to paint
• How to use a screwdriver
• How to sew

 These four things will save you the most money, along with keeping an open mind. When you are comfortable using a few simple tools you will be ready to Google how-to sites to learn how to repair most things in your home.  

Currently my sewing machine has gotten a lot of use. 

• I created a large pair of curtains from a drop cloth.
• I took apart a woman's house dress (second hand) to create a purse and a child's sun dress.
• Using fabric scraps from various items I hemmed and created a large collection of cloth napkins for my family.
• Using an old blanket as batting I was able to create a cozy quilt.

Don't be afraid to look at items you aren't using for inspiration.

• Ice cube trays can be used to store sewing bobbins.
• The top of an egg carton will fit nicely in a drawer to keep utensils, tools, or other small items organized.
• A shoe box with a lid becomes a great storage box for frequently used toiletries.
• Even food containers such as food cans can become organizational pieces.  I store children's crayons and markers in empty cans covered with a bit of fabric to dress them up.
• Starting seeds for your garden? Use newspapers or toilet rolls tubes as pots. You can plant these containers directly into the garden where they will decompose leaving zero waste.

 Do you repurpose items around your home to save money? 

Check out my Pinterest boards for more upcycling and re-purposing ideas.

Life Before Cars

Recalling a life before my car

When I was growing up, we walked every where.  I still remember walking to the grocery store a few blocks away to purchase items we needed for dinner instead of taking the car.  I knew most everyone in the neighborhood and really knew the individuals who owned or worked in the local stores.

I walked to school each day, until I bought my first car at age 17.  My car was my pride and joy and allowed me to get where I was going faster, but it wasn't until 33 years later that I realized what I lost by driving.  We had a local business my siblings and I walked by each day, when the holidays came by they would give us penny candy and stop to ask us how our family was spending the holiday.

I was fortunate, in my opinion, to grow up near a fresh water lake. I loved spending time at the beach and went nearly every nice day each summer.  Before buying my car I would walk a block to catch a city bus which would take me to what we called "the dock".  There I would pay .75 for a ride on a ferry which would drop me off  half a mile from my favorite beach.  I would hike the trial to the beach, which gave me time to enjoy the sounds of nature.

After I purchased my car, the trip that used to take me close to 45 minutes now took 20.  It took that long because I spent most of it stuck in traffic waiting at red lights. The peaceful ride across the lake on the ferry and the quiet of the hike was replaced with the frustration of traffic, increased costs for gasoline and everything else that comes with owning a vehicle.

Seeing the benefits

I am not one who enjoys shopping, I prefer to spend my time in nature.  I don't live near a shopping mall, the closest being 15 miles from me. I have given some thought to how I would get to places in the nearby city without a car and realized I could still get there, it would just need to take a little planning on my part.  I could catch a bus from right outside my home, but I would need to return to scheduling my time so I wouldn't miss my ride.  So it is possible to live in at least the suburban area I do and still do anything I would like to do.  Here are tips for families to make that transition.

The rising gas prices may be giving us an opportunity to return to a better way of life.   By parking our cars we will save money, not only on gas but in repair costs as well. Our health will improve as we get more exercise as well.  Instead of simply knowing the few individuals who work at the businesses I frequent, I am now getting to know so many more people who have been here all along.

Haircuts and Gardens

How much do you spend on haircuts?  I don't spend anything because I learned how to cut my own hair.   Today I want to share a tip for the perfect layered style for longer hair that is fool-proof.


During the late 80s a very famous salon decided to charge an ungodly amount of money to cut a person's hair with hedge clippers.  But the effect was a lovely layered look. Here's how you can get the same look for no cost and without dragging in your hedge clippers.

1. Bend from the waist until the top of your head is parallel to the floor.
2. Comb all your hair straight down and gather together at the center point of your head.
3. At this point you can tie the hair together, which I would suggest the first few times if you are not real comfortable.
4. Now with a good pair of scissors, doesn't need to be specially made for hair, cut the hair in a straight line horizontally to the floor a minimum of 5 inches from your scalp, you can always go a little shorter if you feel you need to later. Just remember you can always take more off but you can't put any back on.
5. Now shake out and style.

If your hair is a medium length you will find that not all the hair from the nape of your neck, or even framing your face, will be long enough to tie, mine isn't.  That's okay it will blend but it will also give you bulk around the ends which will prevent the ends from looking straggly.

Don't toss the hair out, you can add human hair to a compost pile or sprinkle around garden beds to keep rabbits away from your flowers or vegetables. 

Living Car-free

Until a year and a half ago I had never envisioned living without a car.  My last car was a gem, it never broke down even at ten years of age.  I loved my car, but the rising costs of gas had me reconsider this possession.  I made a huge life change at this time moving from the country to a small town where everything I could need was within two and a half miles of my home. Most within half a mile.  It was time to now look at living car-free.


Instead of selling my car I gifted it to my son and his wife to replace their gas guzzler.  My life has improved more than I could ever imagine and I wish I had done this years ago. 

Noticing what I have been missing

 It is amazing what you will see and do when you don't have a car.   Here's what I encounter during the warmer months while I am out:

• Going at a slower pace I was able to take in the beautiful scenery I usually miss.
• Residents have already been out working in their gardens and mowing the yards
• I need to keep to my shopping list.  If I purchase too much I won't be able to carry it home.
• My town is special, there are plenty of opportunities for bikes, joggers, and wheelchairs to easily access all the amenities.
• I am meeting others who are out and getting to know people in my community.

Knowing I need to be able to get my purchases home I needed to keep my grocery list simple.  Here's of what I may can bring home in one trip.

• Rice and black beans
• Vegetable broth to make a soup
• Edamame to use in my soup
• bananas,  raspberries, and small bag of grapes
• leafy greens and spinach for salads
• Raw almonds
• Raw sunflower seeds
• Greek yogurt for my grand-children
• dish soap

As you can see,  I will be eating pretty darn healthy.  Usually I tend to over buy, especially fresh produce, it's been a difficult transition to shopping for one person after feeding a family for 21 years!  By buying only for a few days I was able to limit the amount of food that may end up in the compost pile!  There is also no room for impulsive purchasing keeping me to a list and my budget.

I know what you are going to say, sure if you are single it would be easy to live car free but what about families?  Families are going car free too.  Follow the experiment of one family as they experiment with living car free for one year. It hasn't all been rosy, but it can be done.

Invisioning a Better Future

Stephen King remarked in his book On Writing that a story comes from one question which is "what if?"  While I don't seem to have much of an imagination for fiction, I thought I would try my hand at answering that question based on how I would like to see the future. There are so many things which could be better today. This is America, the land of opportunity. So let's see if we can create a new opportunity.

What if?

• Everyone stopped living in the rat race by choosing to live with only what they needed?
• If instead of the huge McMansions, people choose smaller homes
• If more people shopped first at thrift and consignment stores
• We had more time to work in a garden growing some of our own food
• Our cities reduced crime and were safer for our children to be outside
• We were able to find work we loved which could pay our bills allowing us to stay close to our extended families
• We once again hosted neighborhood picnics and gatherings
• We returned to seeing more corner stores and less big box stores
• More entertainment was free or inexpensive and available to everyone
• Families had more family nights and less scheduled activities
• Children came first

Would we see

• Improved health
• less stress
• Less debt
• less depression
• more laughter
• less time working
• less time spent with mindless activities

This is my hope for the future, to see more of what makes us feel fulfilled in life with less of the stress and worries we find in our lives today.  What can you see in your future by asking "What if?"