Frugal & Green: How Going Green Can Save You Money At Home

There are all kinds of ways to save money while going green. In fact, regardless of which is your primary goal (going green or saving money), you will find they complement each other nicely. Here are some ways that going green can save you money.

Household Cleaners

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

If you ever stop to add it all up, you probably spend a significant amount of money on household cleaners, from toilet bowl cleaner to sink scrubbers. There are concerns that the chemicals used in many of these cleaners are unhealthy, and, in the case of bleach and other substances, potentially carcinogenic.

As you green your lifestyle, it only makes sense to stop buying and using commercial household cleaners. You can make your own natural cleaners for a fraction of the cost, thus saving money and being green.

For example, baking soda made into a paste with water makes a great sink and bathtub scrubber, and can even be used to clean an oven. Combined with borax, a little liquid soap, and peppermint essential oil, baking soda becomes a cream scrubber.

Inexpensive white vinegar and water make a good floor cleaner for hardwood. Add a little lavender essential oil to the vinegar and water and wash your windows. (See this blog for more tips on this - just click the "natural cleaning products" tag for some suggestions.)

Honey (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Personal Care Products

Beauty products can cost a great deal of money, and some of the ingredients are dubious. In fact, substances like parabens, found in many cosmetics, have been implicated in cancer. It's considered green to use natural personal care products, but that can be even pricier. Making your own is far less expensive and just as natural and healthy.

For a creamy, moisturizing cleanser for your face, mix 2 tablespoons of Greek yogurt with 1/2 teaspoon sweet almond oil and 1/2 teaspoon honey. To make an exfoliating cleanser, add ground, dried beans, ground nuts, or sugar.

Instead of spending a lot of money on shampoos and conditioners, mix 1 teaspoon of baking soda in a cupful of warm water and pour that over your head as a shampoo. Apple cider vinegar (2 teaspoons per cup of warm water) makes an effective conditioner.

There are also many other ways that going green can cost you less - from fuel efficient vehicles, to energy-efficient appliances, and other conservation methods that help cut down on utility bills. Going green doesn't have to be expensive; in fact, it can save you a lot of money in the long run.

Avoiding Dangerous "Fragrances"

Have you ever had someone walk past you wearing perfume or some other fragrance and received an instant headache?  Scented candles, soaps and detergents and even shampoos all contain fragrances that can be harmful to your health, and many can accumulate in your body and increase your toxic load, leading to lowered immune function and future health problems.  Let’s explore some of the most dangerous fragrances, where they hide and how you can avoid them.

Why Avoid Chemical Fragrances?

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Chemical fragrances contain just that, chemicals.  Here are a few statistics that may surprise you:

* Researchers have found that people who were regularly exposed to cleaning sprays were 30 to 50 percent more likely to develop asthma.

* The NRDC study showed that many air fresheners and scented products contain phthalates, which are hormone-disrupting chemicals that can be particularly dangerous for young children and unborn babies.  Exposure to phthalates can affect testosterone levels and lead to reproductive abnormalities, including abnormal genitalia and reduced sperm production.

* 95% of chemicals used in fragrances are synthetic compounds derived from petroleum. They include benzene derivatives, aldehydes and many other known toxics and sensitizers, which are all known to cause cancer, birth defects, central nervous system disorders and allergic reactions.

* A 1991 study performed by the EPA found numerous harmful chemicals are commonly used in fragrance products, including acetone, benzaldehyde, benzyl acetate, benzyl alcohol, camphor, ethanol, ethyl acetate, limonene, linalool, and methylene chloride.  Alone or in combination with each other, when inhaled these can cause central nervous system disorders, dizziness, nausea, slurred speech, drowsiness, irritation to the mouth, throat, eyes, skin, lungs and GI tract, kidney damage, headache, respiratory failure, ataxia, and fatigue, among other symptoms and illnesses. 

So How Can You Avoid These Chemicals?

There are many wonderful options to go chemical free and still have a good-smelling world around you.  Here are a few tips:

* Switch to natural cosmetics, hair-care and personal products.  Not only does this eliminate your exposure to harmful fragrances, it’s better for the environment.

Image via Flickr

* Skip the perfume and use natural oils.  Essential oils, and combinations of them, make wonderful natural perfumes and they won’t harm your health. 

* Buy non-toxic and biodegradable cleaning products.  They won’t use harmful fragrance chemicals, which protects your health and the environment.

* Get rid of your paraffin candles.  Use soy or beeswax candles so you aren’t throwing petroleum and chemicals into the air you're breathing. 

* Skip the commercial air fresheners.  Air fresheners typically work one of two ways; they neutralize your receptors, numbing them so you don’t smell anything, or they cover scents up with stronger scents.  Neither is ideal.  If needed, use an essential oil diffuser with natural oils to freshen the air in your home naturally. 

The fragrance industry, including cleaning products, isn’t heavily regulated.  Nor are the chemicals studied for their effects on our health and environment.  From mild symptoms like headaches and fatigue, to dire illnesses like cancer and autoimmune disorders, chemical fragrances aren’t doing you or your health any good.  Take good care of yourself and switch to scents that are more natural today.

To find natural cosmetics and personal care products, check out The Natural Product Directory. This site offers helpful reviews, as well as safety and other ratings that can help you choose natural products that work effectively.

The Advantages of a Natural Crystal Deodorant

Trying to find natural bath, body and personal hygiene products that work can be a real challenge.  There are many on the market but it’s difficult to know what products are truly natural and chemical free and what products actually work.  When it comes to deodorant, this is particularly important!  Natural crystal deodorant is one such product that is chemical free and does actually protect against body odor.  Here are just a few of the advantages of a natural crystal deodorant.

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#1.  Prevents odor-causing bacteria - When you apply crystal deodorant, made from mineral salts, you typically wet the top of the crystal.  When applied to your underarm a thin layer of mineral salts will stay on your skin.  You’ll still sweat (it’s not an antiperspirant) but that sweat will not form bacteria, which is the cause for the body odor. 

#2.  Mineral salts are easy on the skin - Many commercially prepared deodorants and antiperspirants irritate the skin, causing irritation, rashes and allergic reactions.  Mineral salts are a natural element that your body is accustomed to processing and rarely causes any type of allergic reaction. 

Of course, you’ll want to make sure you don’t already have any abrasions or cuts on your skin before applying or you’ll feel the sting of salt being poured into an open wound!  Not dangerous, but not comfortable either.

#3.  Fragrance Free - If you or your friends, family and co-workers are sensitive to fragrances, or you just don’t like smelling of summer meadows, rainbow breezes or vanilla fields, then a crystal deodorant is just the thing.  It’s 100% odorless. 

#4.  The little stick of crystal deodorant lasts forever!  Well not really forever, but it can last up to one full year, which means you’re saving tons of money and eliminating a lot of deodorant sticks from the landfills.

#5.  Mineral salts don’t stain your clothes.  How many times do you find that your deodorant leaves a yellow or gray stain on your shirts?  Not to mention that icky white residue you find on your shirts if you put deodorant on before you dress.  Mineral salt crystal deodorant has no residue, which means it won’t mark up or stain your clothing.

#6. Natural crystal deodorant is cruelty free.  Animals are not tested in the production of this product so you can be sure you’re not contributing to that practice by purchasing it.

#7. Aluminum free, toxin free - Natural crystal deodorant is chemical free which means your body isn’t absorbing potentially harmful chemicals and toxins.  It’s a much safer alternative.

If you’ve been curious about natural crystal deodorant, give it a try.  You’ll be treating your body to a much healthier alternative, saving money, and protecting the environment. You can find helpful reviews and sources for where to buy this and other natural deodorants and personal care products at http://www.thenaturalproductdirectory.com/

Review - Benefect Natural Hand Sanitizer

Several recent studies have shown that hot water and soap are the best way to keep your hands clean and to keep you safe from bacteria. But sometimes, especially when traveling, you might need an alternative to soap and water, such as a hand sanitizer. However, most hand sanitizers are pretty harsh on your skin. They contain chemicals and alcohol that kill germs but, at the same time, dry out your skin and might cause irritation.

Benefect Natural Hand Sanitizer is a gentle and non-alcoholic natural sanitizer that kills 99.9% of common bacteria, such as MRSA, Staph, E. coli and Salmonella. This very effective formula contains natural thyme, an anti-bacterial ingredient. Another great fact about this hand sanitizer is that it keeps your skin soft and healthy and should not cause any allergies.

In my opinion, it is always good to carry a hand sanitizer with you in your purse in case you need it, especially when out and about with children. It keeps your family's hands germ-free and therefore keeps bacteria-induced illnesses at bay while traveling.

Where to buy: http://www.Amazon.com