A Host of Cheapness

The RGH came home on Wednesday so I have had a hard time tearing myself away from him to do my Frugal Friday post. I really should do them a few days ahead of time. I am, however a procrastinator. Trust me, it's true.

We were visiting with an older family member the day the RGH got home. This person told us they were going to have the water pipe coming into their home changed from a 1 inch pipe to a 3/4 inch pipe. It would save them $60 a year on water. Say what?

Once we got over our shock at the um, lameness of this, we tried to explain that this was not a logical choice. It would cost a significant amount of money to make the change and there is no guarantee that it would cut water usage. It would be more efficient to use less water by taking showers instead of baths, only wash full loads, use the dishwasher instead of hand washing and planting drought resistance plants. Additionally, this person could change out a few incandescent light bulbs to CFL's and save more than the $60 a year in electricity.

My point is that sometimes you have to look at the big picture. Spending several hundred dollars to change a pipe so you MIGHT save $60 a year isn't necessarily the best way to conserve water and save money. Investigate your options is all I am saying.

I told you in an earlier post that I was gradually changing my cat litter to the corn cob type. I have an update. My cat had no problems with the transition. The corn cob litter clumps beautifully. It is not scented. It does track a little because it is much lighter than clay litter. The lightness is good when changing the litter or carrying the bag to the car. The one caveat is odor. I have found that you MUST scoop frequently. Daily is best. Two days is tolerable. More than two days and the odor starts to become very noticeable. I put baking soda in with the litter and this helps a lot. I usually scoop every day but I tried multiple days so I could report the results. 

I really endorse this type of litter. Arm and Hammer has come out with a version of corn cob litter that is very affordable. Pretty much the same or cheaper than clay litter. It doesn't have the cloud of dust with it either. It won't choke you out when you scoop or change the litter. Please give this type of litter a try if you have a kitty.

I also wanted to update you on the laundry items I have talked about in past posts. Costco has come out with a line of environmentally friendly cleaning products. I am using their brand liquid laundry detergent. It is okay for He washers. I am very happy with the performance of this detergent. I am also using the dishwasher detergent from Costco. They now have an eco-friendly version which has no chlorine. Some of the brands marked eco-friendly have chlorine when you actually read the ingredients. Both these products are reasonably priced.

On to dryer sheets. I have been using the Static Eliminator Re-usable Dryer Sheets for a long time now. They are supposed to last 500 times. I have no idea how many times I have ran a load in the dryer. I just know it's been a really long time. I paid around $13 for a set and they are still going strong. The eliminate static in all but the most clingy items, like nylon nightgowns or fleece blankets. They have copper fibers in them to diffuse the static. I have also tried aluminum foil. It works but you end up with a wad of crumpled foil that can snag stuff in the dryer. 

In my cheapness, I am trying to figure out a way to sew some foil into a cloth so it doesn't touch the clothes. I'll let you know how that goes.

If you have used any frugal and earth friendly that work well, tell us about it. I want to know.

Blessings,

MaryC