Recycling waste water

I'm beginning my water reclamation project in small ways. Today, I'm catching the water from the washing machine so I can use it to water the garden beds instead of letting it go down the sewer.

I was able to get a 5 gallon vegetable oil jug from a local restaurant, and they said I could get more. That way, I'll have several on hand to use for reclaimed water. I washed the first one out with Dawn dish liquid, which worked pretty well to get the residual oil out of it. Since it's a food product, I'm not overly concerned about getting every trace of it out. In time the waste water will get the rest of it out anyway.

I'll use the rinse water to refill the washing machine, saving water in that way as well. It's a bit of extra work, but I think it will be worth it in the long run. As I make progress on my water reclamation project, I'll add submersible pumps, hoses, and Delta fauctes to make using the water a lot easier.

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Closer to staying home

The price of gas is creeping up again, though. Isn't it amazing how much more expensive it is to produce petroleum products in the summer? (Now, I'll remove my tongue from my cheek.)

Having these days off gives me a chance to do more foraging while I'm home. It also gives me a chance to get caught up more on my housework and get some rest. I only work a normal schedule these days, since I'm not a General Manager anymore, but in fast food, 40 hours is hard work because it's all fast-paced, on your feet, and highly stressful. I really look forward to the day when I can quit or just go part time. I'm getting there slowly but surely.

Electric and water conservation, generating income from home, frugal living habits - all these things help get me closer to where I really want to be....right here at home until I choose to go someplace!

Technorati Tags: electricity,conservation,frugal living,water

Foraging - Wild Grapes

Wild grapes, or Possum Grapes as they are known in the South, are similar to Concord Grapes in many ways. The leaves are large. The vines woody with a shaggy kind of bark on older ones. The fruit grows in bunches but is a bit smaller than the Concord Grapes you may be accustomed to.

These grapes can be used in every way tame grapes are used. They are a bit tarter than tame grapes but can be eaten out-of-hand. The vines will be found in wooded areas, growing up the trees to reach the sunny canopy. That's also where you'll find the fruit - like muscadines. Foraging is great exercise, too, as you trek up and down hills in the woods. Count on foraging to act like diet pills in reducing your appetite and burning off calories!

You have to get them before the birds and other wild creatures do, though. They are a highly favored food for many wild animals.

Technorati Tags: wild grapes,foraging,muscadines,grapes

Getting a grip on debt

DebtSteps.com has some easy to use worksheets in pdf that would be well worth the download. The 12 pages contain just about everything you need to complete a workable monthly budget including tracking credit card and other expenses. This money management planner would be a great tool for anyone, even if you aren't currently having debt problems.

Maintaining control of your finances and spending is vital if you wish to become debt free at any time in the future. This file gives you a chart of recommended income distribution for common bills such as housing, transportation, debts, and others.

If you're not tracking every penny you spend along with every penny you earn, you're really missing out on some insight into your own budget. I was acquainted with a fellow who used a pocket notepad to write down everything he spent - from a pack of gum to his mortgage payment. After just a couple of months he could see where to cut the fat from his budget, save some money, and head more quickly toward being debt free.

Some things are out of our control to an extent. For instance, while we can cut some costs on insurance and utilities, those things still must be paid. Finding ways to reduce them is advisable, though you may not want to cut them so low that you aren't protected or your life is miserable.  Never running your air conditioner when it's 100 degrees outside is just foolish. You put yourself in danger of heat exhaustion or even heat stroke, and you can work inside to your full capability if you are swimming in sweat! Use common sense.

Becoming free from the 9 to 5 grind begins in your wallet!

Technorati Tags: debt,frugal living

Freezer for a fridge?

I was reading the Off-Grid website recently and came across an article about using a chest freezer in place of a standard refrigerator. The author's contention is that a chest freezer uses a fraction of the electricity of a refrigerator. How? Because when you open it, the cold air doesn't just fall out, requiring the unit to run more to cool the interior back down. Who knows, doing this I might even be able to save enough on electricity that I could buy a new tuxedo for Son to wear to Daughter's wedding next spring!

I have to tell you, it makes sense to me. I already have one small chest freezer and the recent power outage really brought this point home to me. The fridge lost cool air pretty quickly and by the next morning, the food in it was warm and unsafe. The chest freezer, on the other hand, has kept the food nicely frozen during the entire time - from Friday at around 1 PM to Sunday at around 7 PM.

I only opened each appliance once during the weekend without power but lost everything in the fridge and nothing in the freezer. The trick with using a chest freezer for a fridge is to not let the temperature get low enough to freeze the contents.

I'll probably need to purchase a switch that will turn the freezer off if it drops below a certain temperature. I'm thinking that if I can keep it at around 36 to 38 degrees, food will be safe without worry. (I haven't tried it yet, but I may be able to accomplish this simply by turning the freezer temperature all the way up to its highest setting.)

Locally, I can buy a new chest freezer just like the one I already have for around $150 - far less than a new fridge and the capacity is about the same. These little freezers will fit into the space allocated for the fridge in my house. I've already measured.

 

Technorati Tags: electricity,utilities,freezer,power

Reducing dependency on utilities

Because the days following the bad storm that knocked out our utilities were so overcast, depending totally on solar will not be feasible, although it is definitely at the top of my list. The days were also without breezes, making it stifling inside the house and even outside. This translates to not being able to rely on wind power those days.

The humidity went way up and we were barely able to sleep the whole weekend due to the discomfort. This means I need to invest in a generator for back-up power. I need something here that can keep my fridge, freezer, well, and AC operating. All are on 120v circuits. The only things on 240v are the stove and the water heater.

Using a solar water heater would have helped although that water is not up to the temperature most of us are used to and call "hot water". However, it would have been sufficient for bathing, I think.

It may be that I need to begin collecting good batteries that can be used as a battery bank for both the solar and the generator. I'll be researching that and report to you as I go along.

One thought I have been mulling over in my own mind lately is to use some parts from my old car to build a generator of some kind. The car motor is shot - it has a rod hammering in it. But, there are all kinds of other things on that car that could probably be used. The alternator, the electrical wiring harness, fans, radiator, axle, wheels - you get the picture. I'll be looking online to see if anyone has ever actually salvaged an old car for this purpose.

Technorati Tags: electricity,conservation,utilities,solar,generator

Foraging - Muscadines

Muscadines are also known as Skuppernongs. These large, bronze, grape-like fruits grow on vines that are very similar to grape vines. The leaves of the vine are also similar to grape leaves but are smaller. Usually you will find these fruits growing up into trees in the woods, though occasionally you might find them mixed in with some wild shrubs.

Unless you bring a very tall ladder with you, you'll need to pull the vines down out of the trees to retrieve the delicious fruit. It's tasty eaten fresh or made into jelly. The skins are tougher than grapes but you can make jam or preserves by grinding them up with the pulp.

The vines themselves make beautiful wreaths. Soak them in water before creating the wreaths to prevent breakage. Wind them around an old tire, a large bucket, or whatever will produce the size of wreath you want.

They can be frozen and juiced up at a later time, if you want, or make the juice and can or freeze it. Do not add sugar until you are ready to make jelly.

Technorati Tags: foraging,muscadines,skuppernongs,fruit

Foraging - Poke Salet

One of the things I miss the most since I've had to take a regular job is foraging. This means going out into the woods and country to find wild foods.

As I go along, I try to learn as much as possible about wild foods and wild herbs. A few are easily recognizable and grow prolifically here in the South. One such wild food is Poke Salet (aka Poke Salad). This is a wild green which loves to grow where fence rows and construction sites have been cleared off, but you can find established stands of it around old fences and abandoned houses way out in the country.

The plant does have a toxin so you must cook it a certain way to remove the toxin. After washing at least 6 times to remove all traces of dirt and insects, you place it in a large pot and cover with water. (Handle it like any fresh green and really look the leaves over for insects and insect eggs.) Let it boil until it's wilted down and the leaves have gone from medium green to a brighter green. Pour off the water and rinse the greens, then cook as you would any green.

It's delicious boiled with some bacon in it. You can also squeeze out all the water and fry it in a skillet with bacon grease, adding eggs at the end of the cooking - much like you might do with spinach.

I find it's best not to pick Poke Salet too near a roadway. This keeps you from bringing home too much dust and emissions that might come from passing vehicles. I have seen it grow up to 8 feet tall. It's easily recognized by its long, broad leaves that come to a point on the end and the reddish, woody stems near the ground when it's more mature. Late in the spring it will produce tiny white flowers along the stem and at terminal points that quickly turn into red berries. The growth pattern is similar to grapes, though the berries are much smaller. They are a favored food of many birds but are toxic to humans. Birds spread the seeds to other areas.

This green is as nutritious as any you might eat from the grocery store or garden. The main thing is it's free for the picking, as most people consider it just another wild shrub to be cut down. Because it sprouts and spreads through woody roots and through seed, it can get out of hand. But I consider it a gift because it's one way I can have free groceries in my freezer.

It's especially delicious in the middle of winter, when you know you can't just go out and get more! Just be absolutely sure you are picking the right thing.

All together now! "Poke Salad Annie...gator got your granny...bum bum bum...!"

Technorati Tags: poke salet,poke salad,foraging

Making laundry soap

Several years ago I used to make all my own soaps, including laundry soap. I haven't been doing this in the past few years because of time constraints. Silly me. The value of the home made soaps and the quickness with which they can be made is amazing.

I mixed up a batch of powdered laundry soap this morning. I found the ingredients at the large always save store you probably have in your town. The only thing I didn't locate was washing soda. The wonderful thing about making laundry soap yourself is that you know what's in it and you know there are no fillers. Powdered laundry soaps often have tiny plastic shavings and other things that just serve to bulk it up so you think you're getting 4 lb. of soap to use. That's why it takes a cup or more of commercially made laundry soap per load!

I learned online that you can bake baking soda to turn it into soda ash, thereby producing washing soda. So, that's what I did. I baked two cups of baking soda in a 350 F. oven for about 20 minutes.

Warning: Do not inhale any of the powders or get them in your eyes.

Here's how I made the laundry soap:

• 2 cups borax
• 2 cups washing soda
• 1/2 cup baking soda (optional)
• 1 small bar Ivory soap

I grated the bar soap in a food processor, then added 1/2 cup borax and grated it till it was a fine powder. I turned this out into a large bowl, added the remaining borax, washing soda, and baking soda and mixed thoroughly. I stored it in a plastic coffee canister and labeled it, including how much to use per load - 4 tablespoons.

Even with baking the baking soda, the whole process took only 20 minutes. I had to wait for the soda ash, or it would have taken 10 to 15 minutes tops.

I'll let you know how this formula works out for me.

Costs:

1. 4 lb. box borax - $2.96 (.74 per batch
2. 4 lb. box baking soda - $2.12 (.53 per batch)
3. 3 bar pack Ivory soap - $1.07 (.36 per batch)

Total: $1.63 for the batch. This should wash 22 loads of laundry, costing a little over .07 per load!

It may be that I will have to go back and make this into a gel if it doesn't rinse out well. I can do this by adding a couple of gallons of boiling water, stirring it thoroughly, letting it cool, then using about a cup of the gel when it's cooled down.  To use the gel, you need to stir it every time before you use it to make sure none of the ingredients have settled to the bottom. ("Gel" sounds better than "glop", though that's what it's like when you use water in it.)

Next time I make this, though, I'll make sure the Ivory soap has set out long enough to dry out. I took it straight out of the wrapper and found that, though it was easy to cut up for the processor, it tended to clump and stick together.

Technorati Tags: soap,soap making,laundry soap

Plastic bag ponderings

As I was bagging up the trash and thinking some more about ways to reduce expenses and help the earth, I realized that I am spending money on plastic trash bags that could be replaced by something else.

Plastic doesn't break down in the environment. Using the plastic grocery sacks for trash bags can be done to save money, but they are plastic. I prefer to use a large tote for shopping and not even bring the plastic grocery bags home.

Back when we still had goats, I used the large paper bags that feed came in. We bought it 50 pounds at a time, so that's sizable bag. They're tough, being made of two layers of heavy paper, and they will break down in landfills. However, I don't have any livestock anymore which means I may need to talk to people who do and see if I can get feed sacks from them.

You know, I can remember my mother wrapping vegetable peelings and other garbage in layers of newspaper before throwing it away. She'd peel potatoes onto the newspaper pages. Then cleanup amounted to just rolling it all together instead of picking it up by hand, discarding it, then having a terrible messy spot on the counter. I could still be doing that and tossing it all into my compost heap, right?

The good news is that while checking out at the world famous discount store today, they were using all paper sacks! I was actually excited, silly me! I learned that the cashiers always have paper sacks for anyone who requests them. Too bad they don't publicize that.

What are you doing to avoid buying commercially made plastic bags or to reduce expenses similar to this?

Technorati Tags: environment,expenses,budget

Electrical dependency

At last, our electricity was turned on. We got word from the power company at around 7 PM yesterday that it was on. Hallelujah! Living off-grid in this manner is not at all what I had in mind.

We made do with lanterns and some rainwater I'd caught in buckets, but a better plan will soon be implemented so that our dependence on the power company can be reduced further. For instance, I'll be starting a rain water collection project through the use of rain barrels and a few inexpensive attachments. I'll also be looking more into alternate forms of electrical power so that if this happens again, we won't be so "stuck".

As far as I'm concerned, reducing spending, reducing utility costs, becoming more self-sufficient, conservation, and budgeting are all part of getting me closer to being able to work only from home. When I reach that point, I'll also be reducing the amount of gasoline I use in my Explorer, thus reducing some emissions from that and cutting some off my expenditures.

Technorati Tags: electricity,conservation,self-sufficiency

More water conservation

A lot of emphasis has been placed on water conservation across the nation and around the world. It's not that the Earth is running out of water. The same water that existed thousands of years ago still exists today. Even the Old Testament heroes knew that the rain falls, the rivers run into the seas, and the sun draws the water up to the sky again. The same water cycle that was in place in the Beginning is in place today.

The problem is that modern man has polluted a lot of the surface and even the ground water (water found under the surface of the Earth.) This has been done through industrial waste, runoff that contains fertilizers and other farm chemicals, human waste, animal waste, and sediments from the soil. Water and soil conservation projects have helped, but more needs to be done.

What can you and I, as individuals, do to help?

• Only use the washing machine or dishwasher when you have a full load. This also helps with electrical conservation since it takes the same power to run a full load as it does a partial load.
• Use a soaker hose or well-placed slotted jugs in your garden, around your trees, and around your yard to reduce evaporation of water when watering. Sprinkling systems lose a great deal of water to evaporation.
• When washing your hands or face, or brushing your teeth, or shaving, turn the water off until you really need it. Even better, catch some water in a small basin or other container and use that. Maintain control of your personal water usage.
• Before you shower, instead of letting the hot water run for awhile, just get it to temperature then hit the shower. Less wasted down the drain and less pulled from your water heater equals water and power savings. By the way, a shower consumes less water than a bath.
• Use rainwater as often as possible to water plants indoors and out. Rainwater can also be used for mopping floors and other household tasks that don't require pure water. Filtered rainwater works just fine for those tasks. Pour the "gray water" into your flower or vegetable beds instead of down the drain.
• Fix any leaks and dripping faucets. Even a slow drip can amount to over 60 gallons of wasted water a month. Leaks under the house on along the water line can make add up even more and create a breeding ground for mosquitoes and other dangerous insects.

Water conservation is not only good for the planet, it's good for your budget, too. Saving some of the water means a lower water bill, or, if you're on a well, a lower power bill since you don't force the pump to operate more often than it needs to.

Technorati Tags: water,conservation,utilities

Making the best of it

I'm extremely interested in going off-grid, at least as much as possible within my budget. But I didn't mean to go off-grid all of a sudden yesterday afternoon!

We had severe storms pass through our area. Straight line winds of up to 60 mph plus a couple of small tornadoes were spawned from the storms. As a result, many power lines are down and transformers blown, so the power company is working tirelessly to restore the power to the over 40,000 customers who lost it. We were one of those 40,000.

I've been making the best of it by using coal oil lamps, a flashlight that can be recharged using the inverter in my truck, and using some of the 10 or so gallons of water I have stored under my bed. See, without power the well doesn't pump so we are also without water at the time of this writing.

I catch water in buckets when it rains anyway, just in case I need it. Well, I've needed it for the toilet so I'm glad I was doing what Son thought was "weird".

I'm writing this at home on my laptop using a program called Windows LiveWriter. I'll upload it later but it will be ready to go when I get to a wifi hotspot in Town.

Technorati Tags: wifi,off-grid,storms,live writer

Accomplishment and satisfaction

Son recently told me I need to make more time for entertainment or social interaction. He said all I do is work. Of course, I know he's probably right and from time to time I do feel lonely or left out. The plus side of working a lot, either at my job or at home, is that it's like taking a fat burner pill. I watch what I eat anyway, but staying active helps me shed a few pounds a month, too.

Of course, when I'm not active I really feel listless and groggy. Staying busy helps to alleviate some of my joint pain and makes me feel satisfied at the end of the day.

What do you do to stay energized and gain that sense of satisfaction and accomplishment?

Technorati Tags: work,entertainment,social interaction

Clutter be gone!

Since I have a day off tomorrow, I'm going to see if I'm up to getting some deep cleaning and organizing done in my home. I've neglected it lately and it's really showing.

I figure, as long as it's messy I'm not at peace. There's enough stress in my life already and I don't need a dirty house adding to it!

I'll start in the kitchen, as I usually do, and move from room to room. I work a circle around each room's perimeter, cleaning, gathering, and organizing as I go. The mess makes me pretty ruthless when I'm tossing things out. Less is better in a small house so I'll get rid of unnecessary things and reduce the clutter and dust catchers.

Technorati Tags: house,home,clutter,clean

Rough work days

It has really been a rough couple of days at work. See, there is a girls' basketball camp in progress nearby which means several buses come to our restaurant every day during lunch. Yesterday, there were 10 buses in a row. Today, there were 8 buses in a row. If you figure an average of 30 teen girls plus coaches, parents, and others, it means we served in the neighborhood of 350+ yesterday and almost that many today during a 1-1/2 hour period.

Today, one of the coaches was kind enough to take orders on paper instead of bringing all the children inside. It was still a lot of food to prepare but at least they didn't have to fight for seating in the lobby.

These are the kind of days, though, that make me wish I was completely working from home. It was stressful to accommodate the needs of so many girls in addition to our usual lunch rush.

This camp goes on until Saturday. ::sigh::

Technorati Tags: basketball,work,restaurant

Smart nutrition

Something I'm always careful about is the supplemts I use. I tend to make up my own personal mix of nutritional supplements and vitamins that will give me the energy I need and the clear head necessary in both my work life and my home life. Truthfully, it's sometimes hit or miss.

'So, I just watched a video and a couple of testimonials from famous athletes such as Roger Craig, Vic Bucsuligo, and Elizabeth Dance about a product called Stemulite. They are saying that this pill gives them more endurance and strength yet helps them rest better at night. Even that it encourages weight loss.

What's my point? Why am I struggling to pull together a nutritional support program of my own when there's already one on the market! I'm wondering if any of you have used this product. I invite you to leave comments about your experience with it. Thanks!

Technorati Tags: diet,nutrition,supplement,weight loss

Travel tips

Summer travel is upon us. School's out and the kids are dying to go places and see things they've never seen before. Travel can be costly, though, unless you plan your trip ahead of time to get the best lodging rates and the best transportation rates available. This usually means booking lodging and flights in advance.

Whether you plan to go to a theme park or are looking at Vegas vacations, you can save money by doing a little research and shopping around.

See, it's not enough to figure out how to generate income - you really have to be judicious with your spending and possibly alter your spending habits so that all your income is put to its best use. This includes your vacation and entertainment spending. You shouldn't have to take out a second mortgage to have a good time on a vacation.

• Shop for snacks and small entertainment items to use while traveling in a car. Don't spend all your money on the road.
• Research local free or low cost entertainment and features at the location where you'll be spending your time. You'd be amazed at the amount of enjoyment you can get from free guided tours of local industries, such as those in wine country.
• Join another family or group and stay in cabins or lodges. Share the cost of the food and the lodging.
• Bring your wardrobe with you and set a spending limit for shopping at your vacation spot.
• Buy perishable snacks when you get to your vacation spot. Keep a small cooler handy (a soft sided cooler is easy to pack and store when empty) for soft drinks, cheeses, and fruits.

There's nothing wrong with wanting to vacation at a place across the country, but you don't want to max out your credit cards and pay for that week of fun the whole rest of the year!

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Flower bed garden

The garden I planted in my flower bed is thriving so far.

The Sweet 100 cherry tomatoes had a slow start and I began to wonder if they would ever really grow, but now they're putting on new growth and even have a few little green tomatoes on them.

I was late planting Summer Straightneck yellow squash, but it's coming up so maybe I'll get a few meals out of the five hills I planted. The Straight 8 cucumbers were slow starting, too, but they are beginning to take off now.

I also planted Anaheim Chili and Sweet Banana peppers, which are steadily growing, beginning to bloom, and have tiny baby peppers beginning to show up on them. The Better Boy tomatoes are doing great! I am going to have to add something to the support structure for them as it looks like they are going to outgrow it!

Of course, the green onions I have poked into the soil here and there are doing well and we've had them with several meals already. I plant a number of them every few days so that we can have a steady supply.

My biggest disappointments have been the Black Seeded Simpson lettuce (a loose leaf variety) and the Romaine. The Simpson germinated but never did anything else. The Romaine has been very slow and now looks like it's going to bolt (take off and bloom).

Have any of you planted a garden this year? It's still not too late!

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Healthy maintenance

I am a huge believer in taking my vitamins along with taking my blood pressure medicine. While I don't take the vitamins nearly as consistently as I should, I know that I really do feel a lot better over time if I keep them in my system.

More recently, I've begun to think that maybe the occasional use of a colon cleanser would also help me. I understand that our bodies tend to store up some really nasty stuff in the gut that inhibits the absorption of essential nutrients. Why waste money on healthful foods and supplements if I'm really not getting their full benefit?

Have any of you tried a colon cleanse? What benefits did you see?

Technorati Tags: health,medicine,colon cleanse

Laundry soap revisited

I have enjoyed making and using my own home made laundry soap in the past and have now gotten to the point where I'm ready to do so again. See, in an effort to be more self-sufficient and independent of things that are purchased, and in the interest of saving a few bucks in the process, it seems basic to go back to the basics. One of those "basics" is home made soaps.

I read the Off-grid website pretty frequently and recently came across some good tips on making laundry soap that costs pennies per load to use. While this won't fix a lot of big financial problems in anyone's life, it will help you feel a sense of control over something.

The DIY laundry soap videos will give you some really sound ideas about making your own laundry soap. While you're at the site, check out some of the other tips and ideas for getting closer to living frugally and off-the-grid.

Technorati Tags: laundry soap,off-grid

Decorating to your own taste

I have to admit, I tend to decorate my home with whatever I run across. I don't adhere to any particular theme. For instance, I've used pretty fabric remnants for everything from dresser scarves to window treatments. I have a small, lace poncho over the bottom half of my bedroom window and assorted flowers twined around the brass headboard of my bed. I used leopard print, fuzzy fabric as a swag in my bathroom and as the cover for the tank.

I would not be opposed to using running ponies or Ferrari parts in my living room to jazz it up a bit. Really, whatever you like to look at can be used to decorate. Hood ornaments can be beautiful statues given the right base!

Look around you. Use your imagination. Can that old knitted shawl be recycled into a swag over the hall mirror?

Cutting electical usage

I wanted to give you all a little update as to my saving electricity experiment. I'm happy to report that my efforts are paying off. My electric bill has gone from around $125 a month to around $75 a month - a huge cut considering that every so often the rates get raised!

I've got just about everything on power strips now. I turn off the strips that are for the TV/DVD player and the coffee pot/microwave. I also turn off the one that supplies the power for the various phone chargers we have. Anything that has a stand-by mode and doesn't need continuous power for the memory gets switched off any time I leave and during sleeping hours. I never use the clock on the microwave or the coffee pot, so I don't care if they flash 12:00 when they're on.

The DVD player remembers everything it needs to even when it's not hooked up to power, so why have it pulling power on stand-by? Ditto for the TV.

Saving $50 a month is well worth the small price I paid for those extra power strips throughout the house! Add to that the fact that I only use CFL bulbs in the house, and the fact that Son and I have become even more energy aware, and I'm thinking the light bill will go down even further!